The Superlative Chemistry
by Boys3allC
Summary: When a new girl moves to town Sheldon finds himself intrigued in spite of himself. Would life had been different if Sheldon and Amy met as teenagers? A very fluffy teen Shamy AU
1. Lovefool

**I wrote this for my tumblr account as a one shot. Then I liked it so much I wanted to write more. Maybe a couple chapter kind of thing. The ever amazing vamplover669 helped me name it.**

Sheldon stands underneath Amy's window throwing pebbles up trying to get her attention. The first one does not make it anywhere near the house. The second hits a tree and bounces off, the third finally hits her window. He holds his breath waiting for her to come and open the window but she does not appear.

"Blast it! I know she is home." He grumbles under his breath. He looks nervously at the front door weighing his options. The most logical course of action would be to just knock and ask her mother for her.

Sheldon shakes his head and decides against it. He would not even be here right now if that was an option. Mrs. Fowler does not like Amy being friends with a boy. Mrs. Fowler had run him off this afternoon after their study session. She had made such a fuss about them being in the house alone together he had left his calculus book sitting on her kitchen table. Sure he could get it from her at school in the morning but it bothered him knowing it was not in his possession.

"Amy!" He yells then looks nervously at the front door for signs of her mother. When he still does not get an answer he sighs and looks to her window. He knows it is hers even though he has never been inside her room because told him that her room faced the street and there was a large tree in front of her window. Sheldon then notices that there is a rose trellis under her window if he could climb it he could tap on her window and ask for the book.

"Who are you kidding, you can't climb the rope in gym class. Let alone propel myself up a rickety trellis." Yet the lure of the lost book and something he could not explain were compelling him to try. He tried to think of the events over the couple of months that even leave him thinking about doing this.

Amy was new to his school and was in all his advanced placement classes, like him she was only sixteen but in senior classes. At first he had disliked this bespectacled brunette who was the only one who had ever beat him to answering a question. As time went on he found himself fascinated with her. The way she took long meticulous notes during class. How she did not hesitate to raise her hand to challenge the teacher. How she seemed to roll her eyes the same time he did when someone in class asked a stupid question.

When the history teacher asked people to pair up for a project he asked her immediately. It marked the first time he had not scoffed at a partnership but had jumped at the chance. Amy had readily accepted admitting to him it was the first time she had ever been chosen first. The project had been due in a month.

They decided to meet at her house every Thursday to work on it. His house was out of the question, his siblings would never stop teasing if they saw him with a girl. The project had now been over for two months, and he still went to her house every Thursday to study and do homework.

Sheldon found he liked the company while he worked. At home he was constantly being annoyed by the noises of his siblings. His brother and sister and their friends whooping and hollering. Amy's was blissfully quiet, she was lucky not to have any siblings. Her mother was never home, working until after he left for home.

"You don't have to keep coming here every Thursday." Amy told him today.

"You don't want me here?" He asked her and she blushed a bright shade of red and began stammering.

"No… I like you… I mean I like you here… But you don't have to keep coming if you don't want to." She had finished embarrassed.

"I want to keep coming or I would not come." He answered confused.

"Oh good." She said then she bit her lip and looked over at him shyly. "You know I was having some trouble solving those new equations Mrs. Morris showed us today."

"No you weren't, besides me you were the only person in class who could solve them." He told her confused.

"I can solve them sure. But I don't really understand them. Maybe you could help me?" He looked at her skeptically but still pulled out his book and began explaining the basis of the equation to her. Somehow they went from calculus to physics and were lost in conversation for hours. Lost until Amy heard the key turning in the lock and her mother walk in the house.

"Oh no." She moaned.

"What?"

"My mom! I am not allowed to have people over at all let alone a boy!"

"Why would it matter that I am a boy…" He began to ask but his question was answered by her mother's high pitched squeal.

"Amy Farrah Fowler! What in god's green earth is a boy doing in my house with you unchaperoned?"

"Mother! Please we were just studying."

"It's just studying until you make me a grandma!"

"Mother you are embarrassing me!" Amy said tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Please Mrs. Fowler we just study. I have been over here every Thursday for three months and…"

"Three months!" Her mother bellowed turning an ugly shade of purple. "Well this will be your last time Romeo!"

"Perhaps I should be going." He said scooping up his backpack and rushing out the door leaving behind his calculus book. When he got home he had tried calling her about it but the line was endlessly busy. Finally after trying until eight o'clock he decided to go over and ask for it. That brought him to where he was now. Scaling a rickety terrace fulfilling her mother's prophecy of becoming Romeo… Minus the suicide.

Once at her window he knocks on it once more. He sees her inside wearing a nightgown crying while wearing a set of earphones. No wonder she had not heard his pebble. He raps three times loudly and finally Amy looks at the window shocked. She pulls of the earphones and rushes to the window and pulls it open.

"Sheldon! What are you doing out there?"

"I left my calculus book on your kitchen island."

"I know, it is in my bookbag I was going to bring it to you tomorrow."she tells him. "Why did'nt you just call?"

"The line was busy."

"Mother must of taken the phone of the line… Why didn't you just knock?"

"And face your mother again?" He scoffs.

"You would rather risk your life climbing up to a second story window?" Amy asks incredulously.

"Speaking of which could you pull me in?" He asks pleading with his big blue eyes. Amy looks around nervously but grabs his hands and pulls him inside her room. Once inside he walks over to her desk chair and sits down looking around the room.

"Have you ever been in a girls bedroom before?" Amy asked and he looks at her confused

"Plenty of times."

"Oh…" She says disappointed.

"I have a twin sister so I am always having to take back the things she takes from me."

"Any non related girls rooms?"

"No… This would be the first… It is very clean…" He says unsure of what else to say. It is nothing like his sisters room plastered with pictures of boys, unicorns, and rainbows. It was sensible and spartan and eerily like his own minus the pictures of superheroes.

"Umm thank you." She says sitting on her bed. "The book is beside you in my bag if you want to grab it." She says pointing to the bag beside the desk he is sitting at. He pulls it out and sets it on his lap. Wondering what to do next. "You can climb back down the trellis. Or if you wanted my mom usually is dead asleep by ten and I can sneak you out the front door." Sheldon looks nervously back at the window and gulps then looks at his watch.

"I can wait around a little." He agrees. Then he looks at Amy and frowns. "Amy why were you crying earlier. When I knocked on the window."

"It's a long story."

"I' ve got an hour and a half until I can sneak back out." He tells her and she shakes her head.

"You will think I am crazy."

"People think I'm crazy… Try me."

"I thought my mom had scared you off for good. You are the first friend I have had… Ever… I really like you and I was scared I lost you." She admits looking down. Sheldon gets up and sits beside her on the bed. Licking his lips nervously trying to find the right words.

Never before had he felt the need for a friend. As his mother often said he was an island unto himself. Never before had he felt the need for companionship because everyone around him looked down on him. Then he had meet Amy and it was like meeting another part of himself. He found himself wishing away the rest of the week so that it could be Thursday and he could be with her. Sometimes they could be together and not talk at all just quietly they would not even crack open a book and just talk the entire two hours he was there. It was restful to be around someone who so innately understood how he worked. He never had to explain his many and prodigious quirks to her it was like she just knew. Sheldon realized now what drew him to her window tonight not the loss of the book. He knew he could get that back the next day at school. It was the loss of her. Afraid that he had lost his Thursdays with her forever.

"You did not lose me. I assume you are grounded…" He starts.

"So grounded… Like into next year grounded." She admits.

"Well then we will just have to be more careful. Set a timer so I know to leave before your mother gets home."

"That could work." Amy says smiling at him.

"Or you could tell her you are at the library and come to my house." He says shyly.

"You would want me there?" Amy asks. He had never invited her before and she thought it was because he was embarrassed that they were friends. Both his brother and his sister were the most popular kids in school. She thought that they might tease him for being seen with the weird new girl.

"I only never asked you before because my house is a bit loud. My sister and brother are excuse my french... pains in the behind." Sheldon admits.

"douleurs dans le derrière." Amy says and he cocks his head at her. "Pains in the butt in french since you excused it." She giggles and he smiles.

"You are the funniest person I know." He tells her a pnd she looks at him and smiles. He looks back at her momentarily lost in her deep green eyes. For one crazy moment he thinks he might kiss her. What would she do if he did? Would she let him? Maybe he should see what all the fuss is about. Then he comes to his senses and knocks her in the shoulder with his fist.

"You are the only person who thinks I am funny." She sighs disappointed that he had not kissed her. "Come on I think mother should be asleep now. I will sneak you out." She says getting up and Sheldon follows her being careful to place his calculus book to cover the part of his body betraying him now. They tiptoe down the stairs and Amy cracks open the front door and he slides out. He looks like he wants to say something else then Amy grabs him and gives him a hug and kisses his cheek.

"See you next Thursday." He squeaks being sure to hold his book firmly in place.

"I'll see you tomorrow in class silly." She says closing the door.

"Yeah but I can't wait for Thursday." he says smiling to himself as he walks back to his house his cheek still tingling where she kissed it.


	2. Sandalwood

Missy had only been on restriction for two days of her nearly two month long sentence. Already she was bored out of her mind. Her mother had taken away the phone from her bedroom, unhooked her TV and put a lock on the plug, and had forbid her from leaving the house. All becuase the perfect little Sheldon had tattled on her and her mom had been waiting for her as she snuck back into her room.

Missy vowed she would get that little snot back for ruining her social life for the next two months. Only She had no idea how. Shelly never did anything wrong. So with her life void of other amusements she began to watch her twin brother like a hawk looking for anything that might incriminate him. At first this was the chief cause of her boredom. Watching her brother study, play video games, read comics. She began to wonder if his goal had been to make her life as boring as his. Then one night she noticed something odd. At exactly seven o'clock the phone rang and Sheldon grabbed the cordless phone on the first ring and went into his room with it.

Missy had never seen him use the phone before except to talk to Memaw. Sheldon stayed in his room for thirty minutes then he came out and put the phone back on the charger. The next night the same thing happened. In fact every night that week Sheldon snuck off for thirty minutes to talk on the phone. On Wednesday Sheldon made his normal call only this time Missy snuck into her mother's' room and picked up the extra receiver quietly so she could listen in. Mama went to extra bible study on Wednesday nights. Normally Missy would accompany her but Mama said she would only use it as an opportunity to socialize.

"Hello." She heard Sheldon say and then she almost dropped the receiver as she heard a girl's voice answer. So this is who Sheldon has been sneaking off to talk to.

"Good evening Sheldon."

"How is your evening going?" He asks.

"Well, and yours?" She replies

"Fine." Missy rolls her eyes at the most boring conversation a boy and a girl have ever had. He calls her every day for this?

"Did you take notes during Mr. Totherows class today?"

"I don't need to take notes it is all up here… You couldn't see that but I tapped my head." Then the girl giggles like that was the funniest thing she had ever heard. "Besides you only want to know so you can borrow them tomorrow."

"Like I would borrow your notes! You write so small I would need a magnifying glass to see them." The girl says in a teasing tone.

"I would tease you about your handwriting but it is impeccable. My tiny handwriting is of no concern in ten years we will all be using computers anyways." He tells her and Missy can't believe her hears. Her robot like brother is flirting. It is the nerdiest, weirdest flirting she has ever heard but there is no denying that that is what it is. Could her goody two shoes twin have a girlfriend?

"You think the whole world will be run by computers. " she says laughing. "However I do pride myself on my handwriting. I used to practice it for hours." Missy as to stifle a giggle as she pictures this mystery girl writing Mrs. Sheldon Cooper all over her notebooks.

"It shows… Are we still on for tomorrow?" He asks and Missy's ears prick up.

"Of course, my mom won't be home until seven tomorrow so we could come here… Or we could go to your house."

"We will go to your house as planned. I know you are still grounded and I would not want to cause you anymore trouble." Missy practically squeals with excitement. She hangs up the phone softly. She already has what she needs no need to listen in on the world's most boring conversation anymore.

She has got him now he is sneaking around with some girl and she is going to get him for it. Who could this girl possibly be? Most of the kids in school they have known since kindergarten. The girls in Sheldon's would be senior girls. While Sheldon was technically a freshman he was in all senior classes. Sheldon was so smart he did not even have to be in high school. The school wanted him to skip a few grades but their father thought it make him turn out weird. So Sheldon went to classes where he was smarter than the teachers and aced classes with almost no effort. What senior girl would want her brother. Unless she was using him to help her do her homework. Yet that couldn't be it. Sheldon spoken with the girl like he respected her.

Last year her friend Casey Michaels had tried flirting with him so he would do her science project for her. It was like she was talking to brick wall for all Sheldon cared. Casey was one of the prettiest girls in school but Sheldon did not notice at all. Casey had tried all her best moves, but when she tried to grab his hand he snatched it away like she had burned him and went to his room and locked the door. Missy thought then he might just not like girls.

Missy just has to see who this girl is and catch him in the act of sneaking around. It is so absurd even thinking about Sheldon doing something that might break the rules she has to see it for next day Missy gets out of her last class early faking a stomach cramp. She looked at Sheldon's schedule in his planner while he wasn't looking and discovered that he had Computer lab as his last period. So she waits in the hall by the door for Sheldon to get out. He is the first one out of the door hurrying down the hall his bag slung over his hunched shoulders. He walks quickly and with his head down trying not to be noticed. A move he perfected to avoid bullies in the hallway who might try to stuff him into a locker. Although how they would manage to squeeze his lanky body in now after his growth spurt was anyone's guess.

Sheldon goes out the front door and stands near the flagpole looking towards the doors. Missy watches as people flood out the doors and walk past him like he does not even exist. Suddenly his face lights up. In their sixteen years together Missy can count on one hand the number of times she has seen Sheldon genuinely smile. She has seen him smirk, seen the forced grimace he gives in photos, but a real smile was few and far between. He almost looks handsome when he is not scowling at the ground.

Missy has been looking at all the girls leaving the building and none seem to fit the description of his mystery girl. Then she sees her walk up to him and she knows how she missed her. She looks like a schoolgirl in bible study books from the seventies at church. She has long stringy brown hair and thick glasses. Despite the warm Texas weather she is wearing is brown cardigan, a brown corduroy skirt and knee high socks with mary janes. The girl is beaming just as big as Sheldon as she almost skips over to where he is standing. She wonders if they will hug or kiss, but they don't as they start walking away. Missy follows at safe distance wondering where they are going.

They walk close together as close as you could get with out holding hands. They talk the whole way even though Missy can't hear what they are saying. Whenever the girl isn't looking he sneaks glances at her. Looking at her like she is the most perfect special thing he's ever seen. Missy stops being mad at him. In fact her twin brother has finally made her feel warmly towards him. He was so in love that it was etched all over his goofy face. From the glances the girl was throwing him when she thought he was not looking the feeling was mutual.

Sheldon had done his best to distance himself from her and the rest of the it was so hard to think of her brother as a person with feelings. Missy had often wondered if he could even feel like normal people did. Or if his emotions had somehow never developed at all. Seeing him like this made her happy and she decides not to try and bust him. But she is going to try and wheedle out of him who this girl is and how he feels about her.

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Sheldon had the full intentions of bringing Amy to his house. Then his sister had gotten herself grounded and his plans had changed. If she wasn't on restriction Missy would be so preoccupied with her own friends and activities she would not notice Amy at all. However now all her attention would be on him and devising a way to get him back for telling on her. He knew the moment his sister saw Amy and him together the dreaded word would be brought up...girlfriend…

Immediately they would ask him him if Amy was his girlfriend and he would not not know how to answer. Amy was a girl who was his friend. They spoke on the phone and in person every day. Yet from what he knew of girlfriends the definition did not fit her. They did not kiss sloppily in the hallways like animals, there was no unsanitary exchanges of salvia at all. They did not walk around holding hands like they were stuck together.

Yet his feeling for her were not purely purely friendly either. There had been the almost kiss in her bedroom after he scaled the wall to see her. The kiss on the cheek that still made his stomach feel funny when he thought about it. How is hand seemed to almost itch with the need to grab hers when he walked with he knew how badly she wanted him to do that. Yet he knew if he did there would be a shift in their relationship. It would finally be acknowledging something he was not sure he was ready to acknowledge.

Though it was something he had been aware of since his first day at her house. That first time he had left early citing early onset flu symptoms. His head had felt foggy, his stomach was nervous and jittery. His palms were clammy and he kept wiping sweat off of them. The Symptoms disappeared as soon as he was out of her presence. Only to return again the next day when she held her cool hand to his forehead at school to check for a fever.

Then there were other troubling symptoms he could not explain. Like how every time he saw her he felt for lack of a better term twittterpatted. Without his consent ,a dopey grin invaded his face and his heart pounded wildly in his chest. How just hearing her voice on the telephone seemed to soothe him. Every night he felt like was counting down the minutes to seven when Amy was able to call him. How answered on the first ring so he did not have to miss a moment of her phone time. How sad he felt when he mother would pick the phone exactly at 7:30 and announce her phone time was over. As hard as he tried to find a logical explanation in his large book of medical diagnosis he could not. The only conclusion that he could come was that he was in love.

Not just in love, but as his mother put it whenever his brother or sister had a new suitor. Gobsmacked, knocked over the head, over the heels in love. But what did he do with that information? Love was not something he ever wanted or expected for himself. His life was going on a strict trajectory. He would graduate this year, go to Caltech, study hard get his doctorate. If his dad had not been such a stubborn asshole, he would already have his doctorate by now. Then he had to go and die last year. Leaving him feeling confused, angry, and only time he did not feel that troubling mixture of swirling emotion was when he was with Amy.

As he sat in computer lab stewing that he had to sit through this demeaning trivial class. He knew more about computers then his teacher ever would. He could hack into the school's computer system and change everyone's grades. He could rewire the schools bells to ring whenever he wanted them to. From the slow computer in the lab he could break into the CIA's mainframe. Instead he was made to do some inane coding project he had finished in a second. Now he was just staring at a blank screen his teacher forbidding him to use the computer for personal use. All he could think about was changing the school's alarm bells so he could see her sooner. As soon as the bells do ring he rushes out. Hurrying to their assigned spot by the flag pole.

He stares at the doors waiting for her to come out. He sees her immediately her head down her books hugged to her chest. Then she looks up and sees him and he face splits into a heart achingly beautiful smile and she waves. The sun illuminates her from behind shining on her head. Making her dark hair shimmer like it was woven of a thousand different colors. She looks so happy to see him. No one has ever looked that people to see him including his family. He annoyed everyone he met. No one ever wanted to spend time with him willingly. No one but her. When they walk to her house it feels like they are in their own she has started making them a snack for when they study. As soon as he arrives in her kitchen he checks her cookie jar to see what kind she made.

"Oatmeal raisin… Yuck…" He says disappointed putting the cookie back.

"I know they are my mother's favorite, brownie points you know? Speaking of which I remember you telling me you hated raisins so…." She says walking over to the oven and pulling a foil covered dish from inside. "I made you brownies instead."

"You are the best." He says smiling at her as she cuts him out a large brownie and sets it on a plate. Then she pours a glass of milk and brings it over to him.

"I know." She says pleased as he stuffs the brownie in his mouth.

"Where did you learn to cook so good?" He asks polishing off the brownie. "In home economics?" Amy gives him an are you serious look and he smirks. "I was joking , just to clarify."

"I would never waste credit hours with such a wasteful subject." She tsks. "I kind of taught myself actually. My dad died when I was young and my mom always had to work.. So I had to fend for myself a lot. If I wanted cookies I had to make them. My mother did not really approve of me having sweets anyways."

"When did your father die?" He asks taking a sip of the milk.

"When I was three, I don't remember him at all." She admits.

"Then you are lucky." He says.

"You don't get along with your father? "She asks, he has never mentioned his father before.

"He is dead too, died last year." He says quietly.

"Oh, I didn't know I am so sorry. I guess you were not close.?" Sheldon shakes his head no.

"He was a drunk, he was mean to my mom, and he is the reason I am stuck in a normal high school and not already in college."

"Why wouldn't he let you go?"

"He thought that letting me go too soon would make me weird. Well I am weird anyways and now it will take me until I am twenty to get my Phd."

"I don't think you are weird.' She says softly.

"Well I am weird and you are too." He says sharply and Amy looks deflated. Sheldon notices and backtracks. "But that is why I like you. You are not like everyone else… You are like me. The only person like me I have ever met."

"I like you too. Sheldon there is no shame in getting your degree later." She says trying to comfort him.

"I know...it's just that sometimes I sometimes wish he had died sooner so I could have gone." he blurts out and then he looks horrified at his admission. The secret thought that had been nagging at him since his father died. "But mostly I wish he hadn't died at all." Then it happens the tears that he was told he should cry since his father died start leaking from his eyes. Sheldon Lee Cooper did not cry, had not cried since he was a small child but now he was in Amy's kitchen blubbering like a baby. "I am sorry, I don't normally cry." He admits wiping his eyes and trying to regain composure.

"Sheldon, it's okay to cry." She says wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. Normally he hated being hugged. The only person he ever let hug him was his Memaw. Amy's arms felt good around him and he wipes his eyes on the soft material of her sweater.

"I know , I just normally don't." He says lifting his head up. "I have never told anyone that."

"You can tell me anything. I won't think less of you." She tells him and he looks up at her face. Her eyes are so kind and gentle, he knows she is telling the truth. He knows that she loves him as much as he does her and it is comforting.

"Amy… I think I… " and he stops not sure if he should say it. Saying it would change everything. But somehow he knows everything has changed anyways.

"Think you what?" She asks and he takes her hand gently.

"I think I might be… That is to say… I think that I… Maybe… love you?" And she beams at him and kisses him softly on the lips. He has never kissed anyone except his mom and memaw and never on the lips. The thought of kissing had always grossed him out a little. Amy's lips on his was not gross and he kisses her back. Far too quickly she pulls away.

"I think I maybe love you too." She tells him.

"So does that mean that you are my girlfriend?" He asks unsure how things like this worked.

"Yes it does." She says firmly.

"I' ve never been anyones boyfriend before. I might not do it right."

"I've never been anyone's girlfriend before. Nothing has to change though. We will just act like we always have." She says squeezing his hand.

"Good, I can do that." He tells her smiling before leaning in to kiss her softly.

Later that evening when he returns home he is humming a happy tune. Missy greets him at the door with a smile like the cat who ate the canary.

"Hey there ,brother."

"Hello." He says walking past her.

"You seem awfully happy." She says following him.

"I am." He admits.

"I wonder why?" She asks coyly. "So Shelly where were you? You always come home right after school." She asks hoping to catch him in a lie.

"I was at my girlfriend's house. I go there every Thursday." He says nonchalantly as he goes to his room and shuts the door. Leaving Missy staring after him with her mouth open.


	3. Dreams

Mary Cooper ran a tight ship everyone was expected at the dinner table at six or else. After prayer everyone was expected to share something about their day. Tonight Missy could not wait to share. After the amen Missy was chomping at the bit to get the exciting news she had learned ,today out.

"Who wants to go first tonight?" Mary asks and Missy jumps right in.

"Sheldon has a girlfriend." She says looking around the table at Sheldon's annoyed face and Mary and George's stunned ones.

"Fuck off! No he does'nt it!" George yells.

"Language!" Mary yells glaring at him.

"He does so! He goes to her house every Thursday. She calls him every day at seven o'clock." Missy tells them.

"Shelly is this true?" Mary asks and he rolls his eyes and sighs. "Don't you roll them eyes at me." She admonishes.

"Yes I have a girlfriend." He admits and Mary is instantly curious.

"Who is this girl ? How long has this been going on?" She asks.

"Her name is Amy Farrah Fowler, she just moved to town about six months ago. I have been going to her house every Thursday for four months. We just officially became boyfriend and girlfriend today."

"You have been involved with a young woman for four months and you just now are telling us about it?"

"I don't see what the big deal is about it. Missy and George have never ending line of suitors."

"It is a big deal because this is the first girl you have ever been involved with. You are going to bring her over here for dinner."

"No I'm not." He says.

"Yes you are." Mary says firmly

"You don't make Missy and George bring all their boyfriends and girlfriends to dinner."

"Because I can never keep up with who they are dating. This however seems like it is getting kind of serious and I want to meet her. I need to know she comes from good people."

"She comes from good people you need not worry.

"I don't know that until I meet her. " Mary says waving her wooden spoon at him as she heaps food on everyone's plates.

"Her mother is a music teacher at the middle school and plays the organ for the Lutheran church and her father is dead. Is that good enough ? Now you know her people." He says annoyed as he starts to eat his dinner. Mary leans over and yanks his plate away making him look up at her wide eyed.

"Now you invite that little girl to dinner this weekend and that is final." She says in her sternest voice. Sheldon knows she means business and finally gives in.

"Yes ma'am." He sighs and she scoots his plate back over to him.

"There was that so difficult?" She asks him. "Now what do you think she would like to eat?"

That night Sheldon has the phone in his hand sitting in his bedroom so he can answer it the moment it rings. If Amy is coming over for a Cooper family dinner there are a few things he has to warn her about beforehand. Sheldon answers it immediately but almost as soon as he starts talking her hears a click and his mother's voice.

"Shelly?Is that you are you using the phone?"

"You know I am mother." he sighs.

"Hello ," Amy says politely.

"Well hello sugar! You must be Sheldon's little friend Amy. Now did Shelly get around to inviting you over for dinner this Saturday."

"How would I have gotten around to that yet mother." Sheldon asks exasperated.

"I would love to , but I will have to ask my mother first." Amy says.

"You know that is a good idea. Why don't you put her on and I will talk to her."

"Oh okay hold on." Amy says nervously and ten Sheldon's stomach drops. Amy's mother does not approve of them being around each other. Amy is supposed to be grounded from seeing him and now she is being extended a dinner invitation. His mother was going to get Amy in even more trouble, he would be lucky if he ever saw her again now.

"Hello this is Mrs. Fowler." He hears Amy's mother say.

"Shelly honey hang up the phone. Me and Amy's mama are going to talk in private now."

Sheldon hangs up the phone and flops down on his bed. The feeling twisting through his gut is making him feel sick. His family and their constant meddling were going to cause Amy to be locked away in a tower like a fairy tale princess. Amy would never forgive him for getting her in so much trouble. Having a girlfriend was just too much trouble. After what felt like hours he hears his mother call him and he rushes into the living room.

"I had quite an interesting talk with ." Mary tells him wryly.

"Oh?" Sheldon say feigning innocence.

"Mrs. Fowler tells me that she ran you off about a month ago and told you and Amy under no uncertain terms were you to be in the house alone together."

"But we were just studying!She automatically assumed that because I am male my only thought would be ravishing her daughter."

"There has been no ravishing going on right?" Mary says almost sacred to find out the answer.

"Of course not! All we do is study, or talk… Because of your meddling I have lost her haven't I?Amy is grounded for eternity because you just had to invite her over for dinner!"Sheldon bellows hysteria starting to creep in.

"Calm your taters boy!" Mry admonishes him pointing to the couch so he sits down. " Now as I was saying. Mrs. Fowler is upset that you and Amy did not listen to her wishes. However she also said the positive change in Amy's demeanor since you two struck up your friendship was making her start to reconsider." Mary says pausing. "Then when I explained that you are good kind hearted boy, from a good christian upbringing. That you only have the noblest of intentions towards her daughter she was completely sold."

"Sold on what?" He asks curiously.

"On you sugar! Amy is allowed to come over for dinner and. Mrs. Fowler will be coming too. You are also allowed to continue seeing her on Thursdays. As long as you come over here where you can be properly chaperoned. " Mary says and is surprised when Sheldon jumps up and wraps his arms around her in a tight hug. Mary could count the times Sheldon has hugged her on one hand. Mary has hugged him but he almost always just leans into her without moving his arms waiting for the hug to stop. He is so tall now he can almost rest his chin on her head. The last time he hugged her , he was much smaller.

"Thank you mother." He says letting go. He looks embarrassed at his sudden outburst of emotion and sits back down.

"You're welcome baby." There is so much more she wants to tell him but she does'nt want to spook him. She wants to tell him how happy she is that he finally has a friend, not just a girlfriend but a real friend in general. That there was a time she wondered if he even liked girls, that she would love him anyways even if he did'nt. Mary wants to tell him the only reason she was so desperate to meet this girl… Is because she wants to know more about the girl who found a way in. A way into the boy who she thought had lost after his father's death. For a year he had been so quiet and withdrawn she did not know what to do. Lately he had been so much happier and she now knew why. "I know you are a good boy." She says simply trying to fight back the tears.

On Saturday Mary is feeling less than warm and fuzzy towards Sheldon as he paces around the kitchen. Ever since the grocery store trip this morning the boy has been wearing on her nerves. He wants everything to be perfect and has been nagging her about every little detail.

"Are you sure there is no avocado in what you are preparing?" He asks nervously peering into the bowl she is stirring.

"Sheldon I ain't never cooked with with avocado and I ain't going to start now." Mary sighs.

"I was looking at the Woman's World magazine on your nightstand and 12 new ways to cook with avocado the new super fruit was the top article. How do I know it's california avocado growers propaganda did not sway you to start cooking with them!" He says starting to feel panicked.

"Shelly, number one you were with me at the grocery store. You saw everything I bought for this meal. Number two if you have told once you have told me a thousand times that she is allergic to avocado!" Mary snaps and he throws his hands up in the air.

"Excuse me for being nervous!" He says backing away from her.

"I am sorry baby, now why don't you run along and get dressed. Dinner should be ready just in time." She tells him and he looks down at his outfit confused.

"What's wrong with this outfit?" He asks and Mary gives him a hard look up and down. Sheldon is wearing his usual uniform of khaki pants, raglan baseball shirt, with a super hero t-shirt over top.

"That is not the kind of outfit you meet your girlfriends mother in." Mary tells him and he still looks confused.

"I have met her before. I was even wearing this very shirt when I did."

"And… Mrs. Fowler did not think very highly of you now did she?" Mary says knowingly giving him a look and he relents.

"No." He admits.

"Now go change into your church clothes… Chop chop." Mary says waving him off and he trudges begrudgingly into his room. Coming out later in gray slacks, and a button down light blue shirt.

"Better?" He asks sulking into the kitchen head down and arms crossed. His shirt is itchy and he hates his church clothes. His mother got so sick of wrangling him into church and listening to his snide comments that he only had to go once a year now.

"Oh Moonpie! You look so handsome!" He hears his Memaw crows and his head snaps up. "I haven't seen you all gussied up, since I don't know when!"

"Memaw! What are you doing here?" He asks surprised.

"It's Saturday supper! I always come for saturday supper baby!" Memaw reminds him and he nods. For some reason he thought since they would be having guests that the usual Saturday plans would be shifted.

"Yes of course." Then a horrifying thought occurs to him. Even if they shifted their dinner to the rarely used dining room there were not enough chairs to accommodate everyone. "Where is everyone going to sit? There are only six chairs around the table. There are going to be eight people dining. Even if we move two chairs from the kitchen set we will still be unevenly spaced. Oh this is an absolute nightmare!"

"Shelly calm down! Missy and George Jr. have other plans this evening. So the number of chairs will work out between the number of guests." Mary informs him and he is instantly relieved. For the first time in years she was begging her older ones to go out instead of stay in. But she was going to have a hard enough time without Heckel and Jeckel in the room. Missy had wanted to stay so bad she had reminded Mary that she was grounded. Mary had granted her reprieve and a shortened her sentence to ensure her absence for the evening. When the doorbell rings Sheldon jumps like he has been burned.

"It's them!" He yells racing to the door.

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"Hello, please come in."Sheldon says bowing making Amy smile and she curtsies. Her mother made her wear one of her church dresses. Amy had fought her tooth and nail ,not wanting to look over dressed and silly in her dark purple dress. Now she is glad she listened as she beholds Sheldon looking so handsome it is making her heart skip. The ice blue color of his shirt compliments his eyes perfectly. His hair is neatly combed and there is absolutely nothing her mother could object too about his conservative well groomed appearance.

"Good evening Sheldon." She says politely then she curtsies again as Mary and Memaw walk in the door. "Pleased to meet you Mrs. Cooper and…" She says stalling not knowing who the tiny older lady at Sheldon's elbow is.

"You can call me Memaw sugar!" She says wrapping her up in a hug then she turns to Mrs. VFowler. "You must be Amy's mother. Pleased to meet your acquaintance." She says beaming at Amy's mother and sticking out her chubby hand. Which Amy's mother takes and shakes limply.

Amy had been shocked that her mother had agreed to dinner. When Sheldon's mother had asked to speak with her she was sure her goose was cooked. That Amy would have so many restrictions she would not be able to leave the house before the age of thirty. Then instead of more restrictions the punishment had been lifted.

"Yes, but please call me Peggy." Her mother says.

"Well come on ya'll supper is awaiting!" Mary calls leading them into the dining room. " I hope ya'll brought your appetites! You got a real Southern meal awaiting you." Mary says seating everyone around the table. Amy and Sheldon next to each other Memaw and Peggy on the other side. The table is already filled with dishes and Mary sits at the head of the table. "Now ya'll just fill your plates with whatever you like. I made a little bit of everything."Once everyone has their plates filled Mary bows her head. "Now Shelly honey why don't you lead us in the prayer."

"I don't think I…." he starts but Memaw interrupts him.

"Come on sugar we are getting hungry!"

"You are the man of the house now. It is time you start leading us in the prayer." Mary says her eyes still closed.

"Very well." He sighs. "Let us join hands." He instructs as he bows his head and holds out his hand for Amy to take. His hand is cool and soft, his long fingers intertwine with hers and she dreads letting it go after prayer. She sneaks a peek at him from between her lashes and his eyes are screwed shut and his is jaw clenched. "Dear god in heaven, thank you for this blessing you have bestowed upon us. Thank you for the nourishment to put in our bodies, and thank you for the arrival of new friends. In his name we pray." He says nervously letting go of Amy's hand.

"Amen." They all chorus and then lift their heads. They all start to eat quietly but Mary is not about to have a silent meal.

"So Shelly was telling me ya'll are new to town?" She asks and Peggy nods her head.

"I was born in Texas but my family moved to California when I was around Amy's age. We thought we could use a fresh start , what with Amy's problems in school. So we moved back about six months ago." Amy could kick her mother for that. Sheldon doesn't have to know about what happened in California. About the bullies that made her life a living hell.

"What problems?" Memaw asks. "Nothing too bad I hope."

"Amy was being teased pretty bad in school. The bullying got so bad that I did not feel safe having her in that school anymore. The only options were to either homeschool or put her in private school. As a single mother neither were a very good option so I thought a change of scenery would be helpful." Amy wishes a hole would just swallow her up so she could disappear. She was not popular in this school. But she did not need Sheldon knowing about how unpopular she had been.

"Sheldon has had the same problems let me tell ya! The boy has had his head dunked in a toilet bowl more a scrub brush. Boy got so many ass kickings we thought about hiring him a bodyguard." Mary says and Sheldon sighs. Then she feels his hand hit hers under the table and she grabs it. Trying not to blush bright red as their fingers entwine. It is hard to eat one handed but there was no way she was letting go of his hand.

"If father had let me go to college early maybe I could of avoided some of the abuse." Sheldon scoffs squeezing Amy's hand.

"Or maybe you would of gotten beaten up worse without us there to protect you." Mary tells him raising her eyebrows. Sheldon looks like he wants to say something but Mary stops him with a look. "Let's change the subject. So you play organ for the church? I am a church secretary is' t that a small world?" As Peggy and Mary talk about church everyone finishes their dinners. After dessert Mary suggests that Sheldon show Amy his room so the adults could talk. As long as they kept the door open. Amy follows Sheldon down the hall feeling a nervous jittery feeling in her stomach as she enters his room.

"I have never been in a boy's room before… It is clean." She comments looking around. His bed is neatly made, his blue bedspread looks like was ironed after he put it on. All his books are color coordinated on the shelves. She thinks it is odd that a sixteen year old boy would still have toys on his shelves. But they don't look played with, some are still in the boxes.

"Cleanest in the house. Mostly because my brother and sister are not allowed in here." He says sitting down on his bed.

"I kind of wish I had sibling. It gets lonely being by yourself all the time." She says sitting next to him. Amy always thought that if she had a brother or a sister everything else wouldn't of been so bad. That she would have at least on person in her co

"I wish I was an only child. I crave solitude like I need air. " he tells her then rapidly changes the subject. "Do you like comic books?"

"My mother says books with pictures are a waste of people's time and resources."

"Do you like to play video games?" He asks her getting up and walking over to the tv in his bedroom.

"I've never played one before...What's that?" She says looking around the room then something catches her eye. She stands up and walks over to his bookshelf and picks up a red train.

"I collect trains, this one is a replica of one my Papaw took me to see."

"It reminds me of a train we used to be have around our Christmas tree. I used to lay on the ground and watch it go around and around. I haven't seen it in years though. I wonder what happened to it." She muses setting the train back down. Sheldon walks over and picks it up and hands it to her.

"Here you can have it." He says pressing it in her hand.

"Oh that is so sweet but it is yours I would feel bad." She says trying to hand it back to him but he refuses.

"I've got other ones. I want you too have this. You can put it on your shelf and think of me fondly." He says smiling the little half smile that turns her into goo. She wants to tell him she does not need a trinket to think of him. That even though her memory is not eidetic like his she would remember every detail of him forever. That her last thought before falling asleep and her first thought upon waking up were of him.

"Thank you, I will think of you fondly tonight." She says putting the train in the pocket of her dress. Then he looks up at her and there is something in his blue eyes that makes her tummy start to quiver. He looks like how he did in her bedroom the first time she thought he might kiss her. Amy wants him to kiss her so bad, but she is also afraid one of their mother's might walk in.

"I always think of you." He says and steps forward Amy closes her eyes preparing for the kiss. But instead of a kiss she hears his mother's voice yell from down the hall.

"Come on kiddos tours over! Get on out here."

"I swear my mother has eyes in the back of her head." He mutters as Amy opens her eyes and follows him out of the room.

 **Thank you guys for all the follows and reviews! Reviews help me know what I am doing right.**

 **So next chapter Sheldon teaches Amy how to play video games. Amy teaches Sheldon that girls can beat boys at anything.**


	4. Head over Feet

Missy was walking down the hallway at school on her way to heath walking she saw something that caught her eye. The unmistakable head and shoulders of her brother walking ahead of her. Sheldon did not have any classes in the hall she wondered what he was doing down here. Then she sees him pause in front of a classroom and wait until his girlfriend comes out. He smiles at her and takes her hand. Then they turn and walk hand in hand down the hall together.

"Oh my god!" Her friend Kimberly gasps beside her. "Was that your brother holding hands with a girl."

"Yeah, he has a little girlfriend now." Missy tells her laughing. Thinking how cute it was to see her brother holding hands with Amy. Things must be getting serious for him to show public affection and change how he walked to and from class.

"I didn't think he liked girls.." Kimberly says impressed.

"Neither did I but I guess he does. Or at least he likes her, her name is Amy. She is new to town so she does not know how weird he is yet." Missy says rolling her eyes.

"What are we talking about?" Matt Johnson says coming up and wrapping his arm around Missy's shoulder.

"Sheldon has a girlfriend!" Kimberly blurts out excited.

"No way! Smelly Pooper has a girlfriend? You Must be mistaken."

"Missy just told me and I saw them holding hands walking down the hallway together." Kimberly tells him.

"Let's go get them! Oh man I can't wait to razz him about this!"

"No don't!" Missy says pissed pulling away from her friend. "Sheldon is a jerk but his friend didn't do anything."Missy had grown to like Amy in the three weeks she had been coming over to there house. Amy was sassy and put Sheldon in his place like no one else could. It was obvious her twin brother worshipped the ground that the girl walked on.

"If she is dating Sheldon there has to be something wrong with her." He snorts and Missy punches him hard in the shoulder.

"I said leave them alone." She says storming away.

"What's her problem?" He asks watching her storm away.

Later that night Missy walks by Sheldon's door on her way out to a party. She sees him sitting on the his floor playing a video game. She wonders why he is not out now that he has a girlfriend that he is obviously crazy about.

"Why does Amy never comes over on the weekends?" Missy asks.

Missy would hate to think of Amy sitting all alone at her house wondering if Sheldon thought about her. Missy had been that girl waiting by the phone waiting for a boy to call when she was younger. If there was a boy who had been as crazy about her as Sheldon was about Amy she wished she had known. It would of saved her middle school self a lot of heartbreak.

"What are you talking about? She came over for dinner one Saturday." Sheldon says annoyed pausing the game.

"Shelly that was weeks ago! You can't just ignore your girlfriend like that." Missy says sticking her hands on her hips. Really she does not know why she is bothering to help him. It's not like Sheldon has ever done anything to help her. Help Amy sure but maybe Sheldon did not really deserve the help. She just let him lose Amy and then wonder what he did wrong.

"I do not ignore her! We see each other everyday at school. I speak with her on the phone daily." He informs her shaking his head and unpausing the game. When he looks at her she can tell she has given him something to think about. It was not often that something she can tell him something that makes him think.

"School is different, if you want to keep Amy around you need to try harder. Invite her out on a date, or at the very least invite her over the house." Sheldon looks like he is considering it.

"So you are saying that to keep a girlfriend I have to do more than what I am doing? I have made a lot of schedule adjustments to incorporate Amy into my life. I can't imagine making more." He says looking upset but like he knew deep down that Missy was right. Missy sighs and sits beside him. This is why she was trying to help him. For so long it had been easy to pretend like Sheldon did not have feelings. That she could be mean to him and say whatever she wanted to him because he was just a robot boy anyways. The last few weeks had proven her wrong however. Sheldon did have feelings, and it was nice to see them. It was nice to feel like she had two brothers again.

"Shelly you don't have to make any big adjustments. What were you going to do this weekend?"

"I was going to go see a movie."

"See just take Amy with you to the movie." Missy says and he looks skeptical.

"What if she does not want to see the movie I want to see? What if she tries to drink from my drink? Do I have to pay for her?"

"I am sure Amy will go along with whatever movie you want, buy her her own drink so you don't have to worry about it, and I know you've got like three hundred dollars stuffed in that dolls butt on your shelf. Surely you can spring for drinks and popcorn for your girlfriend."

"It's not that I can't, I just did not know what social protocol dictated. I know in these modern times a woman might want to pay for herself. And how did you know about where I keep my money?"

"You pay ,it shows manners. But you don't always have to go to a movie. You could just invite her over her watch a movie or play video games." Missy tells him skimming over how she found out about his money stash.

"Amy said that she hasn't ever played a videogame." He tells her and she pats him on the shoulder.

"You could teach her. I have seen that girl around you. She will be game for whatever you suggest because she likes you. I have sat in a basement with ten smelly boys watching pay per view wrestling to be with a boy I liked."

"That is different , Amy doesn't think like you do she is more evolved." Missy slaps him on the shoulder and stands up.

"If you are going to insult me that is the last time I try and help you." Missy says starting to storm out the door.

"Missy wait." He says getting up. "I am sorry that was rude of me. What I meant was that , Amy does not like things like most girls her and your age do. Amy has her own unique worldview and I find it hard to believe she would be happy watching me play videogames if it was not something she truly wanted to do."

"Shelly that girl would watch the grass grow if you were sitting beside her while she did it." Sheldon ducks his head slightly embarrassed and Missy moves to walk out the door again.

"Missy?" He asks and she turns around again.

"Yes Sheldon?"

"Why are you helping me?" He asks and Missy comes back and wraps her arm around him.

"Because Shelly as much of a pain in the ass that you are. You are my brother, my twin brother, and I love you." She says hugging him lightly and kissing him on the cheek.

"Alright that's enough of that." he says wiping the kiss off his cheek and sitting back down on his floor.

The next day Missy has to hold in a squeal as she answers a knock on the door and Amy appears.

"Hey Amy! What brings you here on a Saturday?" She asks letting her in.

"Sheldon invited me." Amy tells her as Sheldon comes out from his bedroom.

"Shelly! What a surprise Amy over here on a Saturday?" She says winking at him and Mary comes out and gives Amy a hug.

"Hey there honey! So glad you could come over today. Now Shelly you two can go to your bedroom as long as you keep your door open."

"You never let me have boys in my room." Missy says as the phone rings and Mary holds up her finger and answers the phone.

"Oh no… I see… I will be there right away." Mary says hanging up the phone. " looks like George Jr. has got himself in a bit of trouble again. Now you two can stay here I trust that you won't do anything you ain't supposed to. Missy you come on with me."

"Mama! You are going to let them be in the house alone together?"

"Honey, everyone has my trust until they prove they aren't worthy. Sheldon and Amy have done nothing to show me that my trust is not deserved."

"Of course golden boy Shelly gets all the trust." Missy grumbles.

"Missy refresh my memory… What did you do the first time I let you and a friend stay alone in the house together?" Mary asks giving her a knowing look.

"We snuck into daddy's liquor and got drunk off of whiskey." Missy admits.

"And there you have it!" Mary says grabbing her purse. Missy grabs hers and they both head out the door.

"What do you want to do?" Amy asks Sheldon nervously as she follows him to his bedroom.

"I thought I could teach you how to play a video game since you never have before." He says sitting cross legged on the floor. Amy sinks down beside him trying to be graceful as possible n a skirt.

"Sounds fun! What game do you have in mind?" She asks.

"Mario Kart for the nintendo 64, a fairly easy two player game. I will set up your character for you then show you the controls."

"Why do I have to be Princess Peach?" Amy asks taking the controller from his hand.

"You don't have to be Princess Peach, I just thought that was the character you would like." Wondering why she was making selecting a car so difficult

"Because she is the only girl ? Well I don't like her, I don't think she is a very good role model. Wearing a prom dress and heels to drive is extremely unprofessional. Do you know how many accidents driving in high heels causes? However I do like her tiara" Amy jokes but Sheldon takes her seriously.

"Fine who do you want to be?" And Amy moves the cursor to Donkey Kong and Sheldon shakes his head. "Donkey Kong! He is the worst, you want someone light and speedy like Yoshi."

"Can I be Yoshi?" Amy asks sweetly and he bites his lip.

"I'm always Yoshi." He says looking stricken and Amy laughs.

"Well there you go. I want to be the monkey, I like monkeys. Especially anthropomorphized ones who wear ties and drive cars."

"Fine but when you lose I will not be able to refrain from I told you so's" he says picking up his controller. He explains the controls to her and tells her they will start out on the easiest level. "Don't feel bad if you come in last place your first couple of times." He says as he hits start. They play the game and Sheldon is shocked when Amy's character zooms past his. Sheldon tries to catch up but he gets stuck in the sand. When the round ends Amy is in first place and he is in fifth.

"Don't feel bad Sheldon. You can't always be in first place." She teases him and he glares at her.

"Beginners luck." He informs her. "Let's see how you do next course." Sheldon gives it his all but Amy still bests him in the next round.

"Hey did you just shoot me with a shell!" Amy yells as Sheldon finally scoots around her.

"All's fair in love and war." Sheldon says as Amy's character hits him with a banana making him peel out. He looks at her shocked as she zooms past him securing her first place spot.

"Gotta watch out for monkeys and their bananas." She giggles and he rolls his eyes.

"Donkey Kong is a gorilla, a member of the ape family." He tells her.

"I know but apes and their bananas didn't sound as funny." She says shrugging her shoulders. "Last round, I think I am going to win."

"Don't get so confident, I got second place last round. Following that trajectory victory will be mine." He sniffs as they start the last round. It is close but Amy ends up winning again.

"Yes! I won! Look at me up there shaking my trophy!" She says excited. "I'm number one! I'm number one!"

"Congratulations you won a virtual trophy." Sheldon says crossing his arms.

"You are a sore loser." Amy tells him.

"I am not! You are a poor winner! Look at you gloating over there."

"Don't worry Sheldon. You will when next time." Amy says winking at him and poking him in the ribs.

"What do you mean by that? And don't do that it tickles." He says swatting her hand away.

"Oh? This tickles?" She asks poking him again and he stifles a giggle. Egged on further by his laugh she trails her fingers under his rib cage making him squeal.

"Stop it Amy! I mean it! Or else…" he says trying to sound firm ,moving her hand away.

"Or else what?" Amy challenges a twinkle in her defiant green eyes.

"Or else this!" He says jumping on top of her knocking the controller out of her hand. He tickles her ribs and belly until she is almost crying from laughing so hard.

"Sheldon stop!" She yells as his hands continue their assault. She is laying flat on the ground with him over top of her. He knows he should probably stop , that he had made his point. But the sound of her laughter is like music to his ears.

"Do you admit that you are a sore winner?" He asks and she shakes her head no. "Then I won't stop until you admit it!" Sheldon yells moving his hands up to her armpits. He likes hearing her laugh, seeing her face scrunched up as she giggles. Her eyes crinkle when she laughs and her smile is infectious. He stops for a moment just to look at her. She opens her eyes and their is a mischievous twinkle in them. Then she reaches her hands up and wiggles them under his shirts. Tickling his belly and his sides making him laugh uncontrollably. He laughs so hard he falls off of her and she climbs on top of him.

"Admit you are a sore loser!" She yells still tickling his bare skin. He is torn between wanting her to stop and wanting to feel her skin too. He wondered what her skin would feel like, soft and warm. Sheldon had felt the hint of curves under the wool of her sweater. What would they feel like under his hands?

"Never!" He bellows. Sheldon does not know if it is the mere fact of being tickled, the sensation of her warm hands on his bare skin. Or the feeling of her straddling his lap. But the extremely lustful thoughts he had been having, and trying to suppress, were coming to a head. He knocks her back over and grabs her hands and holds them behind her head. She is panting and out of breath, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink. Her green eyes flashing brilliantly behind her glasses. Amy was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen in his life. There have been a few times where he almost gave into his urges and kissed her. Not like the kiss they had shared when he declared he loved her. That kiss had been like a pinky swear, a promise that he was hers and she was his.

Now he wanted to kiss her like he saw the kids doing in the halls. Kiss her mouth and discover if she tasted as good as she smelled. Amy smelled like a freshly opened book, apples, and soap. All of his favorite scents combined into one heavenly one. As much as he wanted to kiss her he was also scared. Physical contact was still difficult for him. Memaw, his mother and Amy were the only ones he let touch him at all. What if he started kissing her and found it so distasteful he had to stop? It might hurt Amy's feelings. Then Amy decides for him reaching up and caressing both sides of his face before pulling it towards hers. She leans up and meets him in the middle kissing him passionately. Stunned he barely has time to react before she pulls away and looks at him horrified.

"I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me." She admits and in answer he kisses her again. Sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. Amy sighs parting her mouth her breath is cool and minty. Like she had just been sucking on a tic tac.

Carefully he darts his tongue into her mouth and she responds by gently massaging hers against his. At first he concentrates on matching her movements. Kissing was like learning a dance first you learn the moves then you lose yourself in the music. Unlike dancing Sheldon is surprised by how much he likes it. Amy moves her mouth away from his and he is disappointed, until she begins to kiss his she slips her hands into his shirt again but instead of tickling him she rubs her hands up and down his back. Sheldon moves her hair out if the way and starts to kiss her neck too. The taste of her skin is incredible and he can't help himself from nibbling on her neck. It makes her gasp and wiggle underneath him He wants to slip his hands under her shirt too.

Before he gains the courage they hear the front door open and he jumps off of her. Amy sits up hastily adjusting her clothes and Sheldon pulls down his shirts. He grabs a pillow from his bed and sits cross legged on the floor. Amy picks up her abandoned controller and Sheldon picks up his and unpauses the game. They try to look innocent as Mary peeks into the room.

"We got your brother back without to much trouble. Called in a favor from your cousin who is a sheriff. Ya'll being good in here?" She asks looking at their flushed faces with suspicion."

"Yes ma'am." Sheldon says nervously. Amy looks over at his worried face and knows he is about a second away from blurting out what they had been doing.

"Just playing Mario Kart, I beat Sheldon on my first try." Amy informs her smirking at Sheldon.

"Now Shelly honey! You were a gentleman right? I know you don't always lose with the most… Shall we say grace?"

"Sheldon is always a perfect gentleman ." Amy says and Mary smiles at her. Sheldon looks to his mother then to Amy and gulps.

"Good to hear, now y'all keep this door open and no hanky panky!" She says pointing a finger at them laughing at her own joke as she walks away.

"Of course not!" Amy calls down the hall.

"You lie so easily!" Sheldon tells her when Mary is out of earshot. "It's like I don't even know you."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Amy says dismissively.

"I was not a perfect gentleman and there was hanky panky." He says raising his eyebrows at her.

"I thought you were a gentleman, and she said there was not going to be any hanky panky AFTER she spoke with us. I never lied I just adjusted the truth. Besides you were about to spill your guts and I would never be allowed back here."

"Adjusted the truth. That is one way to put it." Sheldon snorts a little jealous of the ease in which she was able to fool his mother. "When I lie I have more tics than a lyme disease factory."

"Don't knock it! Growing up with my mother I had to learn to adjust the truth a lot. She would lock me in the sin closet for the smallest infractions. So to avoid being locked in a tiny closet for hours I would change the truth."

"My mother would beat you with a wooden spoon. Only I never saw her use it. Only brandish it us when she was upset." He says thoughtfully. "What would your mother say if she knew what we just did?"

"I don't want to think about it." Amy grimaces.

"You saved us from her having to hear about it. We have to be more careful in the future if anyone is going to lock you in the sin closet it is going to be me." He says grabbing her hand.

"I wouldn't mind being locked in the sin closet with you." Amy says shyly leaning over to kiss his cheek but he moves his head and catches his mouth. He kisses her deeply pressing his hand against the side if her face to pull her closer.

 **So we got the kiss everyone wanted! Now I think we need to think about Prom... Reveiews let me know how you feel.**


	5. Uninvited

**A read the reviews and I agree msybe too soon for prom. I sm so glad everyone seems to be enjoying the story and I still have a lot left to tell. A big thank you to my bestie vamplover669 for always being there to give a great ides.**

When Amy gets home she feels like she is floating on a cloud. Once safely in her room after answering her mother's onslaught of questions she pulls out her diary. In her old house she hid it under the floorboards in her bedroom. She always felt so devious and secretive having this one thing her mother did not know about. Her diary back home was filled with her wildest dreams. Now so many of her wildest dreams she never thought possible where coming true.

Amy pulls it out from under her mattress and sits at her desk with it. After she dates the page she struggles to articulate into words what she is feeling. How can you put into writing the sensation of your first real kiss. When his mouth had descended upon hers she felt like a flower blooming. Like she had been wound so tight and he was releasing her. Amy writes exactly how his soft lips had felt on hers. How is breath had washed over her when he sighed in contentment. The way he smelled like talcum powder, ivory soap, and something spicy and delicious she could quite place.

Blushing at the thought of her mother ,or Sheldon for that matter, reading her diary. Sheldon would be shocked at how much he featured in it. Even before they were officially dating most of her entries were about him. On her very first day at that school she had taken notice of him. To Amy he was the most handsome boy she had ever seen in real life. He looked like one of her literary heroes come to life. Nothing at all like the other boys in school.

In her diary she wrote her wildest fantasies ,him stopping her in the halls and declaring his love for her. Asking her to be his lab partner, then confessing it had all been a ploy to be closer to her. She knew none of it would happen girls like her did not get boys like him. Then one day he had asked her to be his partner. Working so close to him had been torture. She loved him so much that he was starting to consume her every thought.

At her old school the thought of her walking hand in hand with a handsome boy was laughable. Now not only was she being escorted to her classes by him. He was inviting her over to house. They were kissing like people in the romance novels she read secretly at night. Now the only thing left on her list of fantasies was the one thing she knew was never going to happen. Him asking her to Prom.

In her mind she knew that prom was a ridiculous concept. Getting dressed up and parading oneself in front of your peers for judging. Yet in her heart of hearts there was nothing she wanted more than to get dressed up in a beautiful dress and parade herself. At her old school she had wanted to go to junior prom so bad. Her mother knew it and paid her cousin to take her so at least she could have the experience of going. Amy was so excited her cousin was cute and no one would know that they were related. But when the night of the dance came her cousin stood her up. Using the money for their night to buy drugs and leaving Amy sobbing on the porch all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Now she had a real boyfriend, one who would dance with her. Except he hated dancing,social functions, and all forms of forced frivolity. Back when they were just friends the school had hosted a fall dance. Amy had shyly asked him he planned on going. Sheldon responded by looking at her like she had two heads. Then going on a tirade about how dances were archaic torture. That a better use of the schools time and resources would be to host a study hall on a Friday night. Amy had agreed with him even though her heart was sunk. Dancing with Sheldon would be a dream come true.

Amy kept trying to drop subtle hints about prom. Like describing Princess Peach's dress as a prom dress. But Sheldon still was not picking up on her subliminal messaging. They were dating, he had told her that he loved her. Why was it so hard to ask him about taking her to a dance? Was it so crazy for him to take her to prom. Amy wishes that she had a female friend she could turn to for advice. There was no book that could offer up the right advice on having your first boyfriend. Half the time she was scared to offend him the other half she wanted him to know she was independent without him.

Her mother would be no help. She was of the old school camp that a woman should do whatever it took to please her man. While also being in the a woman should be chaste until marriage camp. As thrilled as her mother was that Amy was finally blooming and had a boyfriend. She was also constantly on her about keeping her flower in tact. The last thing on Amy's mind was having sex. Well maybe not the last thing but it was not something she was thinking about trying anytime soon. Just kissing him had overwhelmed her so much that at one point she was worried she might faint.

When she is done she places the diary carefully back in its hiding place. Then picks up the train from her shelf. Turning it over in her palm and thinking of him and picturing their perfect prom night. There was still three months left. Maybe she could think of a way to ask him by then.

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On Monday Amy hurries into school, she only had one class with Sheldon today. If she wanted to see him before lunch she had to find him quickly. His brother George took him to school and sometimes he was late. It had only been one day since she last saw him but she missed him badly. She wonders if Sheldon misses her too.

"Amy wait up!" Missy calls and Amy can't believe she is taking to her. There must be another Amy next to her.

"Me?" She asks and Missy walks up to her and smiles. Sheldon's sister was one of the most beautiful and popular girls in school. Amy had not spent much time around her since she started dating Sheldon, but from what she could see she was one of the nicest too. Yet Sheldon was always griping about her and she could never figure out why.

"Of course you!" Missy says walking beside her. "Ain't no other Amy's around here is there?"

"I guess not." Amy admits nervously. "Where is Sheldon?"

"Still in the car fussing at Junior for running a stop sign. Junior says he paused and Sheldon begs to differ and is threatening to call the cops." Missy says smiling and shaking her head at how stupid her brothers were sometimes. "Did Sheldon tell you that mama was going to be out of town this weekend?" She asks.

"No he hadn't mentioned it." Amy tells her wondering what this is all about.

"Well she is, leaving Sheldon in charge of us. Something George Jr. Is none to happy about let me tell you! But you see Sheldon even though ,he is the youngest is the most responsible."

"Okay." Amy says still wondering why Missy is telling her this.

"I would love to have a party and have you come to it. You know since you are kind of new to town it would be a way for you to meet everyone… but Sheldon he would tattle right to mama." Missy says shaking her head.

"Sheldon is a stickler for rules." Amy agrees a little disappointed. Since moving from California she had gone from most hated girl in school. To dating the shoo in for valedictorian and being invited to parties by the most popular girl in school.

"He is, he is… Except where you come in." Missy says coyly.

"What are you talking about?" Amy asks.

"Don't play dumb with me. My brother has a soft spot where you are concerned and you know it. Shelly you see, he don't bend the rules for just anyone. Normally if he has been told not to be somewhere that is the last place he will be. Yet you got him tiptoeing around your mama just to see you."

"What does that have to do with your party?"

"So glad you asked… You see Sheldon has no problem telling me no. You however might be able to get results."

"You want me to ask Sheldon if you can have party?" Amy can't believe what she is hearing. "Missy I'm to scared to ask him if we are going to prom. I don't think I can him that.." Amy immediately wishes that she could take back the words after Missy looks at her stunned.

"Shelly won't take you to prom?"

"It's not that he won't, I mean I've never asked if he would…" Amy stammers.

"Oh I got ya, you are scared to hear his answer seeing as though he is not the most social of butterfly?" Missy says winking at her.

"Something like that." Amy admits.

"Tell you what? You convince Sheldon to have this party and I plant the seed in his head about prom."

"Missy I don't think…"

"Don't think what? "Sheldon asks walking up to them.

"Amy doesn't think anyone is going to ask her to prom." Missy says looking sad.

"Why would ANYONE ask her? I'm her boyfriend if ANYONE asks her it's going to be me!" Sheldon says starting to get upset.

"Is it now?" Missy says winking at Amy. "Bye ya'll." Missy says walking off and Sheldon glares at her back.

"This day could not get any worse. First my brother ate the rest of my cereal even though it was clearly marked. Then he tries to kill me by barrelling through a stop sign. Now I find you and my sister in a tete tete discussing ridiculous social customs."

"I'm sorry your morning has been so rough Sheldon." Amy says soothingly patting his shoulder.

"Why were you talking to Missy anyways? Does'nt she have her own friends to talk girly nonsense with? Why is she stealing you?" He huffs and Amy can't help but smile at him.

"She was just telling me your mom is going out of town this weekend."

"Not this weekend, she is gone right now. My aunt in Oklahoma fell ill and my mom went to tend to her. Leaving me in charge of ditzy and dumbo. Not that they will listen to me anyways but I can at least observe and report." He tells her.

"Missy says she wants to have a par…"

"Aaanndd there it is! Missy is trying to recruit you to her ridiculous cause. Of all the manipulative maneuvers." He tsks shaking his head.

"It might be fun…"

"Fun? FUN! Let me tell you what happened the last time my siblings hoisted a soirée at our house. They barricaded me in my bedroom and would not let me out. I had to urinate in my Boba Fett helmet!"

"Boba who?"

"I'm going to be late. I have to go." He says storming off angrily leaving Amy staring after him wishing she had never opened her mouth.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been the single worst day of Sheldon's life and he could not wait for it to be over. He did not even answer the phone when Amy had called at her normal time. Missy had answered and he told her to tell her he was in no mood for conversation. He could not believe that she would side with his sister and try to get him on board with this party. He is still fuming when Missy peeks her head inside the door.

"What do you want?" He snaps looking up from his book.

"Amy was pretty upset you did not come to the phone." Missy tells him walking in and sitting on his bed.

"That is your fault, you and this stupid party."

"It is my fault, I asked her to ask you about it." Missy admits. "She really didn't want to ask you."

"Oh." Sheldon says surprised that his sister willingly took the blame.

"Still I think ya'll two would have a lot of fun at the party."

"Oh sure since you will probably just lock us in here" he scoffs rolling his eyes.

"You say that like it's a bad thing Shelly. I am sure you and Amy could have a lot of fun in here alone."Missy says her voice dripping with innuendo that even he catches and the tips of his ears turn bright red. He looks up at her slowly and gulps and she winks at him.

"What do you know?" He asks closing his book.

"Well I was going to save this for when I really needed it. But since you insist on being stubborn and being mean to your girlfriend my hand is forced. I came inside the house before mama on Saturday. I was going to pop my head in the room and say something like "ya'll stop kissing!" Just to embarrass you. But what did I find? You on top of Amy making out like there was no tomorrow.I was actually kind of proud, I didn't know you had it in you!" Missy says slapping him on the back. "Now I could tell mama what I saw…"

"You wouldn't! Mother would never believe your word over mine!" Sheldon says panicked.

"Or you could just let us have this party and you keep my secret and I'll keep yours." Missy says smirking and he cuts his eyes at her.

"I hate you." He says.

"I love you." She says scrunching her nose up at him. "So are we having a party...or…"

"If you are going to have a party then there is going to be some is over at ten pm sharp, no alcohol, no loud music, no hanky panky…" Sheldon says ticking of requests on his fingers when Missy stops him grabbing his hand.

"You take your own advice." Missy jokes and he glares at her and continued on.

"I will be allowed to supervise the entire event. If you lock me in my room leaving me to relieve myself into Star Wars memorabilia again…"

"Shelly you are going to be the guest of honor." Missy says getting up and heading out the door.

"What does that mean?" Sheldon asks and Missy turns around and blows him a kiss.

"You'll see."

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Amy rings Sheldon's doorbell nervously, her stomach is so full butterfly's she feels like she might throw up. There had been a lot of lying to get her here tonight. More lying than even she was comfortable with. It all started when Missy had picked up the phone and not Sheldon on Monday. When Missy told her that Sheldon did not feel like talking she had broken down.

Spilling her guts she told Missy all about their make out. How hurt she was that after that he was being mean to her. How she really wanted to go to this party because no one had ever invited her to anything before. Missy listened to it all then told her just leave it to her she would fix everything. The next day Sheldon apologized for his rude behavior and invited her to the party at his house on Saturday.

Getting to the party however proved to be tricky. Amy's mother had to speak to Sheldon's mother before she was allowed to go over. Sheldon's mother could not know about the party and had a no guests while she was gone rule. Missy came up with the idea of her telling her mother she was going to a sleepover at her house. Since her mother did not know Missy was Sheldon's sister it worked.

So now she was dressed in her party dress standing in front of Sheldon's door holding her overnight bag thinking about running away. It was all feeling like so much, her first party, her first boy/ girl sleepover, she wouldn't be in his room. But she was sure she would be able to feel his presence wherever she slept. Before she can bolt Missy opens the door smiling then looks her up and down and wrinkles her nose.

"What in the hell are you wearing?" She asks looking at Amy's white tights and dark blue velvet dress embellished with a lace collar.

"It's my party dress." Amy tells her holding out the skirt.

"You look like my old american girl doll." Missy tells her letting her inside. "You know what you need? A makeover! This is your first sleepover and we are going to treat it like one."

"I don't know…" Amy whines but Missy is already dragging her to her room.

"Come on! It will be so much fun! The boys are out picking stuff up for the party. When Shelly sees you all dolled up his eyes will pop out of his head."

"I like the way I dress." Amy says stubbornly as Missy starts pulling things out of her closet and tossing them on the bed. "Besides you and I aren't exactly the same body type." Amy says with a bit of jealousy. Missy a tall curvy goddess, and she is short and frumpy.

"Aha!" Missy exclaims trimpunathly tossing a shirt to Amy. "Shelly got that for me for christmas. Not exactly my style and two sizes too small." Amy holds up a black batman baby doll t-shirt. Then Missy throws her a pair of jeans. "Those were my favorite pair in middle school, before my growth spurt. Never had the heart to get rid of them. Go ahead try it on." Missy urges and Amy looks around nervously.

"With you here?" She gulps.

"We are both girls." Missy laughs. Amy shrugs her shoulders and begins to change her clothes. The t shirt fits and so do the jeans, but when she moves her arms a small sliver of belly shows.

"The shirt is too small my tummy shows." Amy says tugging at it but Missy stops her.

"You're belly is supposed to show a little. Be proud of that flat tummy! Be proud of all them curves girl! You got it going on and you never show it."

"My mother says a lady dresses modestly." Amy says.

"Your mother dresses you like an old lady!" Missy exclaims. "Now let's get started on your make up." Missy says pushing her down onto a chair in front of her vanity.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sheldon is not looking forward to tonight's party. It sounds like hell on earth, but his hands were tied. Go or risk certain groundation, he had never been grounded and he did not intend to start now. Now he was out with his neanderthal brother making sure he did not buy alcohol. The whole time they are out George makes vulgar comments about his relationship with Amy. Asking when he is going to make her ride his baloney pony. Which took him awhile to figure out that he meant coitus. To which he had to remind him he was only sixteen and far too young to think about such things. Leaving Sheldon shocked when George revealed he was only fourteen when he lost his "v-card" to which Sheldon replied his "v-card" was firmly in place and would be so for the foreseeable future.

When they return home Missy is suspiciously waiting for them on the front porch with one of her dumb friends. Then as they walked up the steps with their purchases he saw upon closer inspection that it was not a friend of Missy's but his friend. Dressed in a tight black batman t-shirt and fitted blue jeans that hugged her curves. Her face looks different too, like her eyes are wider and her lips are more shiny. Her long brown was swept to the side off her face.

"Aaamy, you look different."he stammers

"Do you like it?" She asks spinning around and when he catches sight of her shapely rear and he drops a six pack of cokes on the ground making it spew foam everywhere.

"This is YOUR girlfriend?" George asks, laughing then he leans into Sheldon and whispers in his ear. "Yeah, you are going to keep that v-card. Boy you are going to spewing all over like that soda soon enough." He guffaws the slaps Sheldon on the back and walks into the house.

 **So sorry to leave it here! But it was getting long. And I still had at least five more pages to write. So party update coming very quickly! What would you like to see happen at the party?**


	6. Stay

**Thank you everyone for your kind reviews! i loved all your suggestions and I hope you like what I did with them. A big thank you to vamplover669 who never minds helping me find the perfect song.**

Sheldon can't decide what he is madder at Missy about. Her blackmailing him into this stupid party in the first place. Her dressing Amy up like one of her insipid cronies, or that she was now parading Amy around like Amy was her friend. The party had been in full swing for about an hour and all Sheldon had done was sit cross armed on the couch galaring at people.

All the while Missy was dragging Amy around like she was a new toy showing her to everyone. If anyone should be showing her off it should be him. The fact that Missy was trying to take over the one thing he really cared about infuriated him. Amy comes over and plops on the couch beside him.

"Why are you all alone over her?" She asks.

"Because you and my sister seem to have this party thing covered." He huffs.

"You could've come with me Sheldon. I did not ask Missy to introduce me to everyone." then she smiles at him and cups his chin in her hand. "Don't be such a Grumpy Gus." She says in a silly voice smooshing his cheeks. He tries to look at her with a scathing look but with his cheeks smushed it just looks funny. Making Amy giggle and bury her face in his shoulder. Sheldon tries to be mad at her still but he can't. Her laugh could lift his spirits in the darkest of days.

"I am not grumpy...I am reserved." He says taking her hand. "All this is hard for me." He tells her gesturing at the party with his free hand.

"Me too." Amy sighs leaning against his shoulder. "To tell you the truth I would rather be in your room playing Mario Kart." She tells him and he leans his cheek on the top of her head

"We could sneak in there, no one would miss us. I have a game called Zelda the Ocarina of time I think you would really like. You can ride a horse, and do archery, but I must advise you tbe main character is Link not Zelda.

"Let's do it!" Amy says but before they get up Missy comes over with a group of her friends come over.

"I told you! Aren't they just the cutest couple you've ever seen!" Missy exclaims and her friends all agree.

"They need a couple name!" One of her friends says. "All the cutest couples have a cute couple name."

"You're right! They do need a cute couple name." Missy agrees "How about Shamy!"

"Shamy? What does that mean?" Amy asks confused.

"Sheldon plus Amy equals Shamy!" Missy squeals clapping her hands.

"I don't like that." Amy tells her.

"Nor do I." Sheldon agrees.

"To bad! It's staying."" Missy tells them.

"Sheldon and I were just going to go in his bedroom and play video games." Amy says starting to get up.

"Oh no you are not! Sheldon your rule number two! No hanky panky!" Missy says shaking her finger at them.

"There is not going to be any of that we are just playing video games." Sheldon says annoyed letting go of Amy's hand.

"That's not what Amy said what happens when ya'll play video games." Missy says and Sheldon looks at her shocked. Amy wishes she could just disappear in the couch and die but Missy will not let the party be ruined.

"I am teasing you! Lighten up Shelly bean!" Missy says.

"So Amy." Her friend Kimberly interjects. "Missy tells me this is your first party?"

"Well to be fair I have been to my cousins birthday parties before. This is my first boy/girl party." Amy tells her.

"Oh my god! That is so adorable! Like in middle school having a boy/girl party was such a big deal."

"This is Sheldon's first boy/girl party too." Missy says then her eyes pop wide and she jumps up and down. "You know what we have to do! We have to have an old school middle school party!"

"Like with spin the bottle, and …" Kimberly starts

"Seven minutes in heaven!" Missy squeals.

"Oh no I am not playing any silly party games." Sheldon says crossly.

"I don't know I kind of always wished I could play those games like that.." Amy tells him shyly and he looks at her shocked.

"You can still play without him Amy. We can find someone to kiss you." Missy says tapping her chin and Sheldon jumps up.

"Oh no! The only one kissing her will be me!" He says angrily grabbing Amy's hand and pulling her up. "Come on let's play this infernal game."

"Spin the bottle or…"

"Seven minutes in heaven of course! Spin the bottle is up to chance. If you end up kissing George Jr. I might finally return that black eye he gave me in 1993."

"What is seven minutes in heaven?" Amy asks Sheldon.

"Seven minutes in heaven is supposed to be one person picking a name from a hat, whoever they pick they are locked in a closet with for the length of a song..." Missy starts to explain.

"During that time you have to kiss! If you don't kiss then you have to stay in the closet until you kiss." Kimberly puts in.

"How can you tell if there is kissing?" Amy asks.

"Oh you can tell!" Missy says and Amy gulps nervously. The thought of kissing Sheldon is fun but having someone's ear pressed against the door takes the fun right out of it.

"I am not kissing anyone but her I hope that is clear." Sheldon says to Missy as she leads them into the basement.

"Shelly, the only girl you've ever even noticed is this cute little thang. I like you two together! Of course I know that you only want to kiss her!" Missy reassures him before turning off the stereo in the basement making everyone look at her. "Alright ya'll! In honor of Sheldon and Amy's first boy/ girl party we are going to take it back! All the way back to middle school! Shamy is our first participants in seven minutes of heaven" Everyone in the basement cheers and Missy leads them over to the coat closet. "Kimberly the rules!"

"You must stay in the closet for the entire song, you must kiss during that song, we can tell if you don't!" Kimberly tells them shoving the into the closet.

"What song?" Amy asks stalling and they look like they are contemplative.

"What song is the best song or one's first seven minutes in heaven?" Missy asks the crowd in the basement.

"Bump 'n' grind!" Someone yells and everyone else boo's

"Too much!' Missy disagrees

"Eternal Flame!" Someone else yells.

"Yeah if this was Molly Ringwald and Judd Nelson!" Kimberly jeers giving the thumbs down.

"Lovefool!" The last person yells and everyone cheers.

"Oh my god! I love Leonardo DiCaprio! And just like Romeo and Juliet these two are going to be a love story to tell the ages." Missy coos.

"Actually as far love stories goes Romeo and Juliet are nothing to emulate…" Sheldon starts but Missy shoves them in the closet and shuts the door. "Well that was nice." Sheldon sighs as the loud refrain of Lovefool begins blasting through the door.

"I know! Its is like people don't understand they were a thirteen year old and sixteen year old who had underage sex and committed suicide" Amy says as Missy yells through the door.

"I hear lots of talking but no kissing! I have the entire Romeo and Juliet soundtrack here! I will play it all!" She says sing songy.

"If anything we are like Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Now that is a couple that should be lauded." Amy says putting her hands on his chest and she can feel his heart pounding in his chest. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing it's just that darkness, enclosed spaces, and forced frivolity touch on just a few of my fears." he says and she steps closer to him wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his chest where his heart is thumping.

"I am sorry Sheldon this is my fault. Let's just get out of here. I don't want you to feel like this." Amy tells him thinking that the sound of his heart beat is like the sound of the ocean in a shell. Amy remembers how she felt when her mother had locked her in the closet. How scared she used to feel as she sat for hours in the dark.

"No… Sheldon Cooper does not quit! Besides it may be something else causing my heart to go crazy."

"Like wha…" She asks looking up at him and he bends down and kisses her. Softly at first but as she sighs against his mouth and wraps her arms around his neck it gains momentum.

"When I am around you, it's like I am not in control of my body. It scares me sometimes." He admits as his hands grab handfuls of her shapely rear as he presses his body flush against his.

"I feel the same way." She murmurs against his mouth as he presses her against the closet wall. Pushing his hands into the back pockets of her jeans.

"No." He murmurs back. "You can't." He says kissing her then pulling away and kissing her neck. "You make me question everything I have ever thought to be true." He tells her pulling her tight against his body as he sucks and bites on her neck making her gasp for air.

"Like what?" She challenges him putting her hands back up his shirt to feel the small but developed muscles of is back.

"I used to think that love was just a chemical reaction in the brain, lust was just thee animal hindbrain taking over rational thought. That I was more evolved than my peon siblings because I lacked the trappings of a physical love affair." He explains while kissing her all over and clutching her close to his body. "I thought I was superior in every way." No i realize I just lacked the proper catalyst. I actuality I am just like them, just a slave to my baser urges."

"You are the only real boy I have felt this way about. Before you I thought I was doomed to relationships that existed only in my imagination." she tells him pushing him back against the other wall of the closet and kissing his neck. It garners such a reaction from him that she kisses and sucks his neck harder making him gasp. He pulls her head away gently and does the same to her. The sensation of his mouth kissing and sucking her neck is making her body feel tingly all over. Amy pulls his mouth away from her neck and kisses him again when the closet opens up.

"Alright ya'll! You've been kissing long enough!" Missy exclaims. They had kept them in the closet slightly longer than planned. After they had put them in there a delivery of spirits had arrived. Keeping them in the closet was the perfect way to hid the alcohol from eagle eyed Sheldon. From the looks of their flushed faces when the door is opened they did not mind a few extra minutes in heaven. Sheldon and Amy stumble out of the closet slightly dazed.

"Did'nt think you had it in you bro!" George Jr. Says clapping him on the shoulder. When Sheldon flinches away George catches sight of something on his neck. "Looky looky here! Baby brother's got a hickey! I am so proud I might hug you!" George says extending his arms out to him.

"You stay away from me!" Sheldon exclaims backing away. Amy is not quite sure what a hickey is but it becomes apparent when she sees the dark purple splotch on blooming on his pale neck. A splotch the exact place where her mouth had been on him. Amy self consciously touches the spot on her neck where Sheldon's mouth had been.

"Amy has one too!" Missy cheers grabbing Amy and looking at her neck. "A very successful seven minutes in heaven! Here ya'll all that kissing must of made you thirsty." Missy says handing each of them a red solo cup filled with coke. Amy takes a sip and wrinkles her nose. This is only her second ever sip of coke. Her mother did not allow her to have soda, the last sip she had was a when she had bought a come herself to see what the fuss was about. She remembers it being fizzy, sweet, and kind of spicy. This time it is even spicier than she remembers being. Amy takes a dainty sip and sets her cup down but Sheldon downs his.

"That coke was better than I remember it being." He says wiping his mouth.

"Here have another." George says handing him another cup which he downs.

Curious Amy picks her cup back up and finishes it. As soon it is gone another cup is handed to her. Amy takes another sip. She is starting to feel a bit funny, light headed fuzzy. She leans against the edge of the couch to steady herself. The room feels like it is spinning and all the other party guests seem shiny and distorted. There are group of people dancing in and Amy looks at them longingly.

"Amy." Missy says making her look up at her. "Did Sheldon ever tell you that he is a terrific dancer?"

"Is this true Sheldon?" Amy asks perking up.

"No." He says shaking his head more than necessary.

"Don't be modest Shelly! During cotillion training you were the belle of the ball." Missy says.

"Just because I excel at everything, does not mean I like to do everything I excel at." He tells her. "Besides this is not the music I know how to dance to."

"Oh I am sure you can figure out how to dance to anything! Come on Shelly dance with Amy!" Missy pleads.

"Fine!" He says tossing down his cup. " Come on Amy let's show these people how to dance." He says grabbing her hand and pulling into the throng of writhing bodies.

Amy does not recognize the song it is some smooth rhythm and blues. Everyone else is pressed against each other dancing so close their bodies look melded together. Sheldon however takes her hand and proceeds to start to waltz with her. He really is an excellent dancer and even without the help of the proper beat he takes her through several steps. The song changed into something faster and people start waving their hands in the air and jumping up and down. Yet they continue their dance as if the music is different for them. Amy giggles as he places his hand on her hip and spins her around and then dips her.

"I am thirsty." He tells looking sweaty and exhausted before stalking off in search of a drink. Amy decides to continue her dancing without him. She tries to imitate the people around her and keep in time with them. Dancing with Sheldon had been more fun but this was nice too. Someone walks up behind her and puts their hands on her hips and starts to sway with the music. Amy thinks it is Sheldon before she hears the person whisper in her ear.

"Why is a girl like you with a nerd like Sheldon Cooper?" The boy asks grabbing her behind.

"Excuse me?" She asks spinning around and she sees some boy that she has never seen before. Amy tries to walk away but the boy grabs her arm. Amy is starting to feel panicked and the room is starting to spin again. She sees Sheldon approaching holding two cups looking shocked. Trying to yank her hand from his grasp she rears back hard. Causing her elbow to connect with the boy's nose making a large cracking sound. The boy covers his nose with his hands as blood begins to pour out.

"I think she broke nose." He screams shrilly and Amy looks at him horrified before running away. Amy runs into Sheldon's room and slams the door. All the sudden she feels horrible, her head is pounding and her stomach feels sick. Amy starts crying into Sheldon's pillow, fat wet tears that roll down her cheeks. So much has happened that it starts to overwhelm her. The makeover, kissing in the closet, dancing, and she was pretty sure that those cokes had more than coke in them.

Amy just wants to go home. But she can't go home she had lied to her mother. If she showed up at nearly midnight, tear and blood stained there would be some explaining to do. Sheldon knocks on the door and Amy tells him to come in. Sheldon walks inside and comes over to the bed and lays beside her. Mirroring her fetal position, their knees and hands touch as they lay facing each other.

"If it makes you feel better Matt Johnson's nose isn't broken. Just his pride at being beaten up by a girl." He snorts and Amy looks up at him.

"I didn't mean to beat him up! He wouldn't let me go." Amy tells him wiping her eyes.

"Either way it is something I have been wanting to do since he chased me down in the library and beat me over the head with an applied physics book." He smiles at her.

"He grabbed my butt." She tells him sniffing.

"It's those infernal dungarees you have on. Why are you dressed like that anyways?"

"Even if I am dressed more provocatively than normal that in no way gives anyone the right to put their hands on me." She says angrily.

"Of course not! I am a firm believer in the age of consent. I was curious about your change in attire way before my former tormentor grabbed your rear."

"Your sister told me that I looked like an victorian era doll in the outfit I showed up in. Then she made me change my clothes. You gave her this shirt." Amy says tugging at the shirt and looking down at it.

"I thought it looked familiar." He says pulling it down and patting it. "Amy I like the way you dress. You don't have to change how you look."

"I know you like me. You are the only one who has ever liked me when I am me… It is everyone else I was trying to impress. But you know what? I like who I am. If your sister does not want to be friends with me when I am me….then we should not be friends."

"Why would you want to be her friend? I have known her for sixteen years believe me she is not that great." He tells her and Amy smiles at him.

"I just wanted to know what it was like to have more than one friend. But now I think Missy was just using me to have this party. I told her about our Mario kiss, she never saw it." Amy admits tears rolling down her cheeks again. She has been feeling guilty about telling Missy all week.

"Why would you do that?" He asks and she shakes her head and buries it into his pillow.

"I don't know! I am so sorry." She sobs and he scoots closer to her and pats her back.

"Don't cry, please! I'm not mad. I know how manipulative my sister can be." He says awkwardly rubbing her back trying to soothe her. "I am sorry you had such a poor time tonight."

"I didn't though. I had one of the best nights in my life."

"Then why are you crying?" He asks confused.

"I am sorry, I will go." She says moving to get up but he stops her.

"Stay." He tells her pulling her closer against his chest and stroking her hair. Amy rests her head against his chest and sighs. She feels his chin resting against the top of her head. Suddenly she feels very tired and her eyelids feel very heavy

"Amy?" He asks there is something important he needs to tell her. Something he had been putting off for a while because he knew how difficult it would be to discuss. But it is clear from her heavy breathing she has fallen fast asleep. "We'll talk later." He says closing his eyes and drifting off.

 **Duh duh duh! Don't worry nothing too serious! Thsnk you for all your kind reviews!**


	7. Carnival

**Another big thank you to my idea woman VampLover669**

Amy wakes up still entangled in Sheldon's limbs. The light from his lamp is still on and Sheldon is passed out. When she checks the time on her watch she sees that it is almost six in the morning. If she leaves now she can get back to her house before her mother wakes up and get ready for church. One of her mother's only stipulations for the sleepover was that she be back in time for church.

Amy scoots away from him carefully he rolls over but does not wake up. Looking at him sleeping for a moment before she bends down and kisses his cheek. Sheldon smiles in his sleep and rolls over to the other side. Then she sneaks down the hall to Missy's room where her bag still is. Missy is laying on her belly spread out on her bed dead to the world. Amy gets the bag without waking her and then sneaks out to the front door. The house is completely trashed if she had more time she would try and clean up a bit. As it is she only has a short window of opportunity to get home before her mother wakes up.

The neighborhood Sheldon and Amy live in is one of the many that sprouted up across the country in the sixties and seventies. The roads perfectly planned and the homes homogeneous mix of ranches, split levels, and colonials. If she were to follow the streets to get home the trek would take her ten minutes. If she were to cut through the yards she can get there in five. Sheldon never lets them take the shortcuts. Saying cutting through someone's yard was unauthorized access. That by not following the roads the set themselves up to met strange dogs, and run the risk of shotgun fire by paranoid neighbors. In the wee hours of this January morning it was a risk Amy was willing to take.

Amy was still adjusting from California to Texas weather. The fall had been warmer and the winter was much cooler. Goosebumps rise on her arms as she jogs through the wet grass to get to her house. The sun is just rising in the sky and the clouds are violently pink. Amy thinks how if Sheldon were with her he would explain about the ozone and how the colors were created. She smiles to herself thinking about it, wishing he were here with her. Then thinking how crazy it was that she could miss someone she just left.

When she gets to her house she sees that it is still dark. Amy sneaks inside and heads to the bathroom to take a shower. Looking in the bathroom mirror she looks like a wreck. The black mascara Missy applied is smudged around her eyes from tears and sleep. The product Missy put in her hair has turned it stringy and greasy. Worst of all is the dark purple slash on her throat almost exactly in the shape of Sheldon's mouth.

"Alright Cinderella." She tells her reflection. "You've turned into a pumpkin." She sighs and she hops in the shower.

The hot water will fix the make up, and greasy hair. But it will take some explaining about the hickey. Then a stroke of genius hits her. In one of her mother's campaigns to make her more presentable she insisted she start curling her hair. It was an unmitigated disaster, the curl fell out of her hair instantly. Then she had burned her neck trying to curl it. A burn that was the exact color and shape of the mark now on her neck.

Once out of the shower she dries her hair dresses in her best church dress. Then she goes back to the bathroom and digs the curling iron out of the drawer. Amy curls her hair then rushes downstairs to make her mother's her mother comes downstairs she is pleasantly surprised by her being home already and her put together appearance.

"Why Amy, don't you look nice today? I guess you remembered today is the day the new pastor arrives. We are having a luncheon to welcome him." Amy hadn't she had taken to hiding in an abandoned Sunday school classroom during service. Her mother was so busy paying the organ she neve noticed her absence.

"Of course mother." Amy says. "That's why I tried curling my hair."

"I see, it looks very pretty."

"I burned myself again." Amy winces revealing the purple slash on her neck.

"Oh Amy!" Her mother clucks coming over to inspect the wound. "You are the klutziest little thing."

"I know." Amy sighs a weight lifted off her chest as her mother kisses her cheek. Her mother had bought it hook line and sinker.

"You know we should invite Sheldon along with us today." Her mother says sitting down and taking a sip of her tea. "You could show your handsome beau off to the congregation." Amy blushes at the thought of her mother making a big deal over Sheldon in front of everyone. Sheldon's obvious discomfort at being shown off like a prize pony and being in church. Amy is about to tell her what a bad idea it is when suddenly inspiration hits again.

Sheldon's mother was due to return home this afternoon. Him and his siblings would all be in trouble with the state the house is in now. But she might be able to rescue him from trouble. If he was out if the house and in church.

"That is an excellent idea mother. I'll go call him now." She says rising from the table and going to the phone in the hallway. Amy picks up the receiver and prays he will pick up the phone.

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In his dream Sheldon hears the front door shut and he jolts awake.

"Daddy?" Sheldon asks sleepily. A memory of his father coming home in the wee hours of the morning surfacing. Then he remembers that it is fast approaching the anniversary of his father's death. That George Sr. had not been slamming through front doors since last February. Another memory surfaces in his hazy recollection of last night. Falling asleep with Amy pressed into his chest. "Amy?" He asks opening his eyes and finding the bed empty.

As much he had enjoyed falling asleep next to her. It had been his first good night of rest in a while. He was glad she had made an early escape. He can only imagine what everyone else would think if they discovered them in bed together. Sheldon thinks about getting up too but his head is pounding and his mouth feels thick and fuzzy. Amy was right there had been more than just coke in the drinks he had been provided. He lays in bed until the urge to evacuate his bladder becomes too strong and he stumbles into the hallway just as the phone begins ringing. He picks up up with a froggy hello.

"Sheldon?" He hears Amy's voice ask.

"You left." He says yawning.

"I think you should come to church with me today." She says ignoring him, Sheldon has learned that when she does that her mother is near.

"Why on earth would I do that?" He asks annoyed.

"LOOK around you it's a beautiful day. A little church might keep you out of TROUBLE." She insists and Sheldon follows the words she empathized looking around and seeing the utter destruction if the house.

"Dear lord! What happened in here?" He asks, his mother will be home any time now. There is no way he could clean up the mess by himself in time.

"Your MOTHER wouldn't mind if she came home and discovered you were in CHURCH." Any insists and he mulls it over. It may not save him from troubke completely but he would at least be out of the house when the hammer went down.

"Let me take a shower and get dressed. I can be at your house in twenty minutes."

"My mother says we can pick you up." Then she whispers into the phone so quietly she can barely hear her. "You might want to wear a turtleneck if you have one." Before he can ask her why she was making such an odd request the line goes dead.

"I love her but she is an odd duck sometimes." He sighs to himself as he stumbles to the bathroom and starts to brush his teeth.

As he tilts his head to spit out the toothpaste he catches sight of why Amy made her request. Blooming on his slender pale neck is round violet mark where Amy's mouth had been during seven minutes in heaven.

"The girl is a vampire!" He exclaims looking at the mark from all angles. Amy was right a turtleneck would be the only way to cover it up. After his shower he goes through his drawers and locates the one he owns. He hated it having something on his neck made him feel like he was being gently strangled all day long.

When he is finally dressed he walks outside just as Amy's mother's black volvo pulls up. Sheldon walks head down hands in pockets across the lawn and gets into the passenger side of the back seat. The last thing he wants to do this Sunday is be stuck in church all day. Though if his mother catches them with this party he will be going to church every Sunday until he leaves for Caltech in August. Something he still needs to tell Amy about. He sighs heavily just thinking about how complicated his life is getting.

"Good morning Sheldon, so glad you could join us today." He mother tells him smiling at him in the rear view mirror.

"Good morning Mrs. Fowler. "He says politely smiling at her tightly. He knows he should say something like he was glad he could come. But he still has not mastered adjusting the truth like Amy.

"Why is your yard such a mess Sheldon?" Mrs. Fowler asks pulling away from the curb. Sheldon looks at the assorted cans and cups littering his front lawn and puffs out his cheeks. Wishing he could master tbe art of lying like Amy and hus siblings had.

"Did the neighbors dog tear open your trash again?" Amy asks turning around in her seat and raising her eyebrows to indicate to him she was lying.

"Yes! That little rascal is a menace, I'll tell you what! If my father were still here he'd shoot it off the property." He says and Amy gives him the thumbs up for carrying on the lie.

"No need to shoot the poor thing! Just put your trash up in bins." Mrs. Fowler says scandalized. " Now Sheldon I know you are used to a baptist church. I think you will find our church just as welcoming." She tells him.

"I am sure I will like it just the same." He assures her, meaning not at all. Then surprised at himself for how quickly he was getting the hang of this adjusting the truth thing. They drive past his mother's East Baptist Tabernacle. A church that started as a small one room church with ten pews. Then bloomed into a steel framed monster as membership grew. They eventually turn into the parking lot of Lutheran church.

"Now we are here early because I have to set up the music and practice. Amy you show Sheldon around and make him feel at home." She says as they walk through the large double doors of the church.

"Come on." Amy tells him taking him by the hand and dragging him down the hallway and into a dark classroom. "The don't have enough membership to use all the classrooms for Sunday school. This one will stay empty, we can hide in here until service is over. That's what I do every Sunday." She tells him sitting down in a chair.

"Won't your mother notice that you're not in church?" He asks sitting beside her.

"She plays the organ, she is so busy with her music that she doesn't even pay attention to where I am. As long as I show up to shake hands at the end."

"See my mother sits beside you the entire time and glares at you if you so much as wiggle."

"My mom is always alternating between smothering me so much I can't breath and pretending I don't exist." Amy says her voice trembling.

"Sometimes I think my mother wishes I could just be like everyone else. That her life would be easier without me. When I go to Caltech in the fall perhaps…"

"You are leaving for college this year? Why didn't you tell me?" Amy asks, she thought they would have next year together too. If her application to Harvard wasn't accepted.

"I am telling you now. I meant to tell you last night but you fell asleep. Are you upset with me?"

"No..no… This is great, it's just what you wanted. I am happy for you. It's just that I wonder how long you have known."

"A couple of weeks , I have had my credits for a while. Caltech has been headhunting me since I was eleven. With my father gone I finally have a chance to go. I did not tell you at first because, I thought of not going."

"Not going? Why would you even think of not going! It is your dream!" Amy asks.

" I thought maybe if I waited another year you could apply and them come with me. Then I thought about it and I realized that I could still go next year. You could apply for admission and maybe by summer session we would both be going there."

"Sheldon, I don't want to go to Caltech. I am sorry but that is your dream."

"Amy you are from California! They have one of the best science programs in the country, why wouldn't you want to go there?" He asks confused.

"I've had my heart set on Harvard since I was a little girl. It was where my father graduated from. I never felt like I belonged in California. In fact I've already sent in my application. Looks like we will both be graduating this spring." She tells him.

"So is this the end of.. Us?" He asks and Amy starts, why would he ask that?

"Do you want this to be the end?" She asks sadly.

"Of course not!" He says shaking his head. "But what do we do? Come fall we will be on other sides of the country."

"That's not until August at least. If I get into Harvard at all." He gives her the oh please look. They both know she is a shoo in for the prestigious school. "There is a lot of time between now and then to be together. Then who knows? We might be able to make it work. I know I won't be off looking for other eligible bachelors. I am going to college to learn how to to get my groove on." She tells him smiling.

"I know I won't be with another girl. I don't see other girls. I only see you." He admits and she scoots her hair over in front of him so that her knees are resting between his long legs. Balancing herself on his thighs she lifts her head up and kisses him. Sheldon returns the kiss and gives her a sly smirk. "You can kiss my mouth all you want. But you stay away from my neck you little vampire." He tells her lifting down his turtleneck to show her his hickey."

"Same goes for you buddy." Amy says tossing her hair back and showing him the mark he left. "I had to tell my mother I got burnt by a curling iron."

"That is an excellent cover up! I don't think that will work for me however. This hair would never hold a curl." He says tugging on his short forelock of hair and looking up at it cross eyed.

"No, and not the right shape either." Amy says pulling down his collar to look at it again. The feeling of her cool fingers exploring the skin of his neck sends shivers down his spine. He pulls her face up and kisses her mouth again. They kiss until the church organ starts playing a tube which Sheldon knows normally signals the end of worship is coming near. Amy pulls away and jumps up.

"Come on! If we leave now we can make it."

"Make it for what?" He questions as he follows her out of the room. Amy pushes open the door to the sanctuary quietly and the duck in and sit in the empty back row as everyone else s standing up singing the final hymn. "You have done this before haven't you?" He whispers and she nods.

"Every Sunday since we moved was more fun than normal though." She winks at him.

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Sheldon arrives home that afternoon to find his frazzled mother on the phone. Which she slams down as soon as she sees him.

"Where in the sam hill where you boy!" She exclaims hugging him tightly. "Missy! He is back!" She yells and Missy rushes out from her bedroom tear stained. Missy joins in on the hug and Sheldon breaks away uncomfortably.

"I was at church with Amy. Why is everyone freaking out?"

" Because you did not wake me up making a fuss about the mess we made! Because you weren't in your bed! Because it is almost two in the afternoon and we ain't heard a damn word from you." Missy says angrily

"YOU were at church." Mary says skeptically. "What were you doing at church so late?"

"Amy and her mother invited me and I did not think you would mind me going to church. You can call her mother and ask if you don't believe me. As far as the late hour there was a potluck lunch after church to welcome the new pastor."

"I believe that's where you were. I just don't believe you would be there willingly." Mary says eyeballing him.

"It was one of the best times in church I have ever had." He says truthfully.

"Well honey I am glad. But you gave me a death of a fright. I come home to a trashed house, because you brother and sister had a party while you were sleeping. Then you are missing from your bed and no one knows where to find you." Mary tells him.

"Missy and George had a party! When I strictly forbade them! For shame!" Sheldon says dramatically shaking his finger at Missy and she smiles at him tightly.

"Now that you are found, I'm gonna go back to my bedroom and continue my punishment." Missy says as she walks back down the hall. Mary watches her as she goes in her room and shuts the door.

"Well all that church made me tired. So I am going to go to my room now." Sheldon says making an exaggerated yawn.

"Sit down Mr." Mary says pointing to the kitchen table. Sheldon looks at her scared and then slides into a chair. "There are a few things that are making me mighty curious Shelly. Mighty curious indeed."

"You know what they say about curiosity... and what it did to the cat…" Sheldon says nervously

"How could the boy who can hear a fly fart not wake up during a party? I can't even turn up the TV to watch the 700 channel without you hollering." Mary asks sitting down next to him.

"They must of been partying very quietly."

"From the looks of this house, this party was not very quiet at all." Sheldon gulps and shrugs his shoulders. His eye is twitching and he can feel himself about to fold. Only if he folds it won't just be himself who gets into trouble. "I thought you hated this shirt Shelly." Mary asks pulling at the collar of his shirt revealing his neck. Mary gives him a knowing look.

"That's umm…" He stammers.

"A vacuum attacked you?" Mary laughs then she pats his hand. "Shelly, I think I have enough information to piece together what happened here. Your sister unwillingness to tattle on you tells me that this thing was her idea."

"Missy she…"

"Don't say a word. You aren't in trouble. Missy is getting punished and George Jr. has been grounded since 1993. Not that he cares about it." Mary sighs.

"I'm not in trouble." He asks relieved.

"Don't get cocky boy! I am keeping an eye on you! One toe out of line and you will be grounded so fast your head will spin." Mary says getting up and pointing her finger at him. "Now run along before I change my mind!" She says and Sheldon gets up and sprints out of the kitchen. Mary is torn between anger at him for telling his first lie. For letting his girlfriend mark him up like he was a cheap whore. Or just being plain happy that her quirky son was finally living a little. Putting down the books and acting like a real boy.

"He had to grow up sometime." Mary sighs.

 **I got tbe best review about valentines day... And one thing lead to another... Well I think you will like it. Reviews are always welcome.**


	8. Constant Craving

**Another big thank you to vamplover669 for all her ideas and for putting up with me nagging her with mine.**

A week had passed since the party and Amy could notice a difference in how the rest of the school viewed her. Before had you asked someone who Amy Farrah Fowler was they might shrug their shoulders. Some might even tell you there was no one at that school named that. Now you might get that she was the girl who punched Matt Johnson in the face. The girl who dates that really smart kid. The girl who threw that epic party with Missy Cooper. Though how they gotten that idea was anyone's guess.

Amy had been happy at school just being ignored instead of tormented. Now while nowhere close to popular she was accepted for who she was. Amy thought that Sheldon's role in the party had boosted opinion of him as well. Not that he cared about that kind of stuff. Sheldon had formed the opinion early that he was superior to his classmates. That he couldn't be troubled with what they thought of him because what they thought did not matter anyways. Amy wished she could have his attitude. Amy cared though, she cared a lot.

As she walked down the hall alone on her way to her last class of the day someone bumps into her with their hip. She looks up startled, that happening at her old school would signal she was about to be tortured. Instead she sees Missy smiling at her.

"Hey girl! Long time' no see." She says hugging Amy around the shoulder. "How you been?"

"Good." Amy says smiling at her. She was always somewhat dazzled by her beauty. That a girl like her wanted to be nice to her. Even if it was because she was dating her brother. "Sheldon told me you got grounded because of the party. I'm sorry."

"Girl! That party was worth it! Did you hear the one about how you gave Matt a black eye and made him cry?" Missy asks laughing.

"That story has been kind of blown out of proportion hasn't it?" Amy says shyly.

"All the good ones always are."

"Did you hear how you and I threw the party together?" Amy giggles.

"That one is true! Without you there to distract Shelly there would have been no party. " Missy tells her hugging her again. "Which reminds me of something I need to talk to you about." Missy says sounding serious and stopping their walk and pulling her to the side of the hall into a stair alcove.

"What's up?" Amy asks nervous at what Missy has to say and the fast approaching bell to class. Never in her life has she ever been tardy to class. The thought of it is giving her a tummyache.

"As you probably know Valentines is next week." Amy nods her head yes but really it hadn't crossed her mind at all. Her mother thought the holiday was silly and frivolous. In elementary school she used to dread it because she was always the one with the least Valentines.

Then last year a cruel joke had been played on her. A note from a secret admirer had been placed in her locker telling her to meet him at midnight by the swings in her old neighborhood. When she got there she was pelted with water balloons filled with bright red liquid that left her face and body stained for days. It was shortly after that her mother began her quest to move them to Texas.

"I just wanted to let you know that Sheldon probably isn't going to do anything for you." Missy says and Amy shakes her head relieved.

"Oh, I know Sheldon isn't exactly a hearts and flowers kind of boy. I was not expecting him to do anything at all." Amy assures her moving to reach her class on time. As much as Amy would love Sheldon to come into school on February 14th holding a giant teddy bear and a dozen long stemmed roses, she knew that wasn't him. Just having a real boyfriend was enough for her.

"It's more than him not being that kind of boy. Amy did he tell you about when our father died?"

"All I know is it was last year sometime. Sheldon doesn't really like to talk about it." Amy admits. The last time he had said anything about it had been the day he said he loved her.

"It will be a year on February 14th." Missy says tearing up and now it is Amy's turn to hug Missy. The bell rings and Amy is officially late but she doesn't care.

"Come on let's sit down." Amy says leading her into the now empty stairwell and sitting down. "That must of been so hard for everyone. How did he die? Sheldon never told me."

"The death certificate says it was a heart attack. Daddy was a big man, he lived to drink , eat, and carouse. Never met a steak or a whiskey he didn't like. Smoked cigars like a cartoon villain and had the worst temper you've ever seen."

"So natural causes." Amy says and Missy sniffs and starts crying in earnest.

"They say that but I know we all feel responsible. Sheldon especially even though he would never admit to it."

"Why he didn't force food and alcohol down his throat." Amy asks curiously. Missy shrugs her shoulders and starts on her story.

"The day he died he had come home early in the morning drunk as a skunk. I yelled at him that if he was going to come home like that he could've at least brought Mama a box of chocolates. Daddy called me a bitch said he didn't need no advice from no uppity whore. Well that got George Jr. All upset and he told Daddy he better apologize to both me and Mama. Daddy pushed him down told him to keep his nose where it belonged. Now Shelly he just kept quiet during all this. So Daddy says we should be like Shelly. Said he never thought he would prefer the pansy son with his nose in a book over his son who insisted on sticking his nose up his ass. Then Amy oh lord…" Missy sobs. Amy can't imagine the story getting worse.

"It's okay Missy." Amy tells her patting her shoulder. "You don't have to finish." But Missy has a determined look on her face this story is going to be told.

"Shelly gets up, throws his book down. Amy I swear until that moment I hadn't noticed how tall he'd gotten. It looked like he was towering over Daddy. Then Shelly he yells "if you insist on ruining your own life I can't stop you. Why do you insist on dragging each of us through the mud with you! This whole family would be better off if when you went to bed to sleep this one off , and you just didn't wake up. I know my life would be better if you didn't."

"Oh no." Amy gasps covering her mouth. Dreading where this story is going.

"Then Shelly storms off to his room. Daddy stomps off to his and mama's room. It gets to be about time for daddy to head out to the bar again and he still ain't up yet. So mama goes to check on him and he ain't breathing." Missy says wiping her eyes. "Mama tried so hard to wake him up but it was just too late. Daddy was gone just like that." She says snapping her fingers.

"I am so sorry Missy, but you have to know it's not your fault. Whether you started a fight with him or not the outcome would've been the same." Amy assures her.

"Shelly he didn't talk again for days,weeks, hell maybe even months, but he didn't cry either. Sat there stony faced at the funeral. In fact I don't think I saw him smile again, until he met you. Amy like it or not you bring something out in him. Something I thought we might never see again." Before Amy can respond she hears a voice behind them.

"Hall passes, please." The teacher says holding out her hand.

"Oh, we don't have any, we are just late to class." Amy explains getting up.

"Class is almost over, so you were skipping your last period?" The teacher asks raising her eyebrows.

"No, not intentionally of course." Amy clarifies but the teacher places her hands on her hips and gives her a look.

"You know I am going to have to give ya'll girls detention." He says and Amy starts to cry. Detention was not something she had ever dreamed of having. Her mother would be so disappointed , she might be grounded for a month.

"Please Mrs. Smith just give it to me! Amy was just trying to help me I swear! She would never skip class on purpose." Missy pleads but just shakes her head.

"I'm sorry , but if I bend the rules for her. Then I bend the rules for everyone. You two come along with me." She says snapping her fingers and Missy and Amy follow her to the office.

"Amy I'm so sorry…" Missy starts.

"I know you didn't but I am still upset." Amy says wiping her eyes. To this point she had blindly followed Missy's lead. The party had almost gotten her in trouble and now she was really going to be in trouble. Amy thought she would be lucky if she was allowed out of the for valentine's day let alone worrying about what if anything Sheldon would do.

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That Thursday Sheldon sits at his desk in his room feeling Amy's absence. Every Thursday since October he has been with her. Not having her with him felt wrong. He hated his sister for getting her in trouble. Why had she been talking to her in a hallway anyway? The absence of Amy was making him feel even more cranky and irritable than he would normally be. Given that he had less than a week until the anniversary of one of the worst days of his life. When George Jr. walks in his room uninvited he is no mood to deal with him.

"What up my brother?" George says holding his hand out to him for Sheldon to high five. Sheldon ignores him and George takes his hand away. "Where is your little girlfriend today? Ain't Thursdays the day she comes over here for ya'll to stare at each other and not talk." Sheldon glares at him.

"I thought you would've heard. Missy coerced Amy into skipping her final period and now she is grounded for two weeks." He says turning back to his papers.

"So you're free this weekend?" George asks sitting on his bed.

"As free as I ever am." He says not looking up.

"Good, so how about you and I take Stacy Dubrowa and Angel Harding out this weekend. I have been trying to get with Stacy forever. Then she comes up to me and says her friend Angel liked your dancing at the party. So she will go out with me if you go out with Angel." George says wiggling his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?" Sheldon says incredulously.

"I know , I thought your dancing was pretty stupid too. Angel thought it looked romantic though. I should've taken those cotillion classes more seriously."

"Why on earth would I go out with you and those two braindead bimbos." Sheldon snorts.

"Why wouldn't you? I mean before you did not like girls whatever… But now you've cut your teeth with Amy and you can join the big leagues. I mean Angel is a seven but that is good for you going from a four." George says and Sheldon holds up his hand to stop him from talking.

"I am sorry, but what do you mean by seven and four?" Sheldon asks turning to face him.

"You know… Ranking their looks… Stacy is a ten because her body is banging and her hair is natural blonde, Angel is hot but she could lose a few pounds and she is a ginger who dyes her hair blonde, Amy well… I was being nice with the four dude. I mean sure she was maybe a six at the party. When she showed off that booty. Your an ass man I know that much now." George laughs.

"I don't know how you quantify your total score in your ranking system but you are wrong. By any means Amy is a ten, higher than that really if we were to tally it all up. Amy has everything you could ever want in a woman." He says holding up his fingers to tick off his points. " She is brilliant, patient, kind, shares my interests while still retaining her own unique point of view. Going on looks I have never seen a girl as beautiful as her before."

"You got your blinders on buddy! Amy is the first girl who let you get a taste so you think she is hot shit. Trust me there are better flavors out there. Come out with me and I will show you that you can do better than her. "

"Amy is the only girl that I have an desire to taste." Sheldon says holding up quote marks over the word taste and rolling his eyes.

"Suit yourself! Not that you would know what to do with a real woman anyway. Maybe I will try to go seduce Amy show her what a real man is." George says sticking out his tongue and wiggling it suggestively. Before he knows what is happening Sheldon has knocked him flat on the floor. He sits on his chest and pummels him blindly in the face and chest. "Get off me you little shit." George screams trying to knock Sheldon off.

"Take it back!" He screeches wrapping his hands around his throat and throttling him.

"You trying to kill me like you killed Daddy?" George Jr. Chokes out and Sheldon jumps off him and scrambles backwards. Covering his face with his hands.

"Sheldon… I didn't mean… " George says knowing he crossed a line.

"Get out." Sheldon says deadly calm.

"Listen Sheldon I am sorry… Amy is great I was just…" George stammers scared by the anger etched in his normally emotionless brothers face.

"I SAID GET OUT!" He bellows pointing at his door. George gets out and and shuts the door.

Sheldon gets up and lays in his bed trying to quell the emotions swirling around in his head. It gets dark and his mother calls him to dinner and he ignores her. He lays quietly on his bed has he hears his family eating dinner, then watching TV. Finally just as he starts to drift off to sleep his door cracks open.

"I am not hungry, mother." He mumbles not looking up.

"Then don't eat. Get so skinny that you disappear when you turn to the side." Missy says and he sits up and glares at her.

"What do want?" He asks.

"George has a shiner." She says sitting on his bed.

"Oh."he says.

"Says he got it from you." Missy says scooting herself up so she is leaning against his headboard.

"He deserved it." Sheldon says not changing from the fetal position he is in. Curled up facing the opposite wall.

"George agrees and I gave him a purple nurple for good measure." Missy Tells him and he turns and looks at her.

"Why?"

"Amy is my girl! He don't need to be ragging on her." Missy says and he sits up.

"Correction Amy is my girl." He huffs.

"Sheldon ain't no one disputing that George got a black eye for trying."

"Then why are you hanging out with her? Giving her unneeded makeovers, getting her into detention?" Sheldon demands.

"Because I like her! She is a sweet girl who has turned my twin brother human again! As far as the detention goes I was trying to help you."

"I fail to see that."

"Sheldon, next week is valentine's Day."

"How could I forget?" He huffs

"Girls ...well they expect things out of their boyfriends on that day. I just did not want her thinking you ignored her because you didn't like her."

"Ignore her?" He asks stunned sitting up and crossing his legs.

"Shelly I know next week will be hard for you. I know you weren't a big fan of the day even before daddy died. All that extra hugging and kissing always kind of skeeves you out. But I also know you love this girl. I didn't want her to be upset about things that were out of your control. Your her first boyfriend, she might have romanticized what the day would bring. "

"What did you tell her?" He asks curiously.

"About the day daddy died.. I can see why you like her she is a good listener. I've never told anyone about that day."

"Nor have I." He admits hanging his head. "Missy tell me what do girls expect on Valentine's day?"

"Sheldon I told you I explained to her why you wouldn't be doing anything for her."

"But it is some sort of social convention that a large fuss is made on this day between couples yes?"

"Yes...but Shelly you don't have to."

"Like you said Missy I love this girl, so tell me what to do." Missy is shocked she never expected this from him. Amy had some powerful spell over her brother.

"If I'd known I could speak to you rationally I could of saved Amy a bit of trouble."

"Why didn't you just try to talk to me in the first place."

"Shelly honey, you ain't always been the easiest person to talk to." Missy tells him wrapping her arm around his shoulder surprised when he lets her.

"I suppose not." He admits. "So you were telling me about valentines customs?" He asks shirking away from her.

"Well there is flowers…"

"Bouquet of severed plant genitals ...got it…" Missy rolls her eyes at him but plows on.

"Box of chocolates…"

"Yuck, I hate those boxes you think you are going to get something good then bam! Coconut! Even the ones with the helpful diagram can be deceiving."

"You know what Shelly? So far you have done a pretty darn good job of wooing this girl with your own unique style. Something tells me Amy ain't your typical girl anyways. So I am sure whatever you do for her will knock her socks off." Missy says and he smiles at her.

"Excellent… You can leave now." He says getting up and going to his desk.

"Love you too Shelly." She sighs leaving the room.

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The punishment from the school for skipping her last class had been one detention after school. The punishment from her mother had been two weeks of complete lock down. No phone, no Thursday's at Sheldon's, no TV. She was even making her do extra homework to make up for the class she missed. Even though she had just missed her one elective creative writing and they had a sub that day who let them watch movies anyways.

The only good thing about the punishment was that Sheldon was more doting in school than ever. It had been a week and he had figured out a way to escort her either to or from every class. He even kissed her in front of everyone when it was time for them to part ways at the end of the day. She still had not spoken to him about what Missy had told her. The school hallways were not really the place to have a conversation of so much gravity. Also Amy felt it really was Sheldon's story to tell. Missy had kind of crossed a line telling her. If he wanted her to know he would let her know.

Now it was Friday, valentine's day, the day that had started this fiasco in the first place. Even though Missy had warned her that Sheldon would not be doing anything. A little part of her wondered if maybe he had made her say that. That in actuality he was planning something huge and he wanted her to be surprised.

No such luck though as she sees him walk up to her empty handed in the morning. Throughout the day a secret part of her hoped he had at least sent her a candygram. The student council had set up a fundraiser where for a dollar they would deliver a box of sweethearts and a message to whomever you choose. It seemed like only the popular kids had participated as no candygrams were being delivered to any of her classes. Then her heart leapt when during her last class a boy dressed like cupid popped in and delivered her a valentine. Excited Amy reads the note which reveals it is from Missy. It says sorry for getting you in detention sweetheart. Amy laughs pleased that she at least she got one valentine.

When she gets home she fixes herself dinner and goes to her room. When her mother comes home she comes inside her room and stares at her with her arms crossed. Amy thinks it is because she is wearing Missy's batman shirt and pajama bottoms instead of her usual nightgown.

"What?" She asks.

"So did you boyfriend do anything for you today." She asks.

" Even if he had wanted to he couldn't, I am grounded remember mother?" Amy snipes.

"Watch your attitude young lady! Being grounded wouldn't stop him from bringing you something to school."

"I thought you were not a fan on the holiday?" Amy asks and her mother shrugs.

"I just thought your first boyfriend would of made some sort of a fuss. Enough of that ,how about we go to the music room and have a mother daughter sing along tonight?" She says excited. Amy used to love sing along nights. Mother would play piano ,she would play her harp and they would play their favorite hymns. Today the thought of being locked in a room with mother listening to her high falsetto warble "Are we washed in his blood?" sounds like abject torture.

"No thank you." Amy tells her.

"Amy you used to love sing along night." Her mother says clearly disappointed.

"I just kind of grew out of it." Amy tells her going back to the book she was reading. Her mother leaves and Amy engrosses herself in her book while she hears her mother playing a melancholy tune downstairs. It gets late and her mother is still working her way through the saddest hymns she knows. Peggy Fowler was the queen of passive aggressive punishments. When she hears a tap on her glass startled she goes to her window. Sheldon is standing on the ground below carrying what looks like a basket.

"Is your mother asleep?" He calls up and she shakes her head.

"No but I can sneak you in. Go around to the back of the house and I will let you in the kitchen then go up the back staircase while I distract my mother." Amy yells down and watches Sheldon walks around the back of the house. Amy runs down the stairs two at a time and flies into the kitchen. Amy opens the door for Sheldon and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hello." He says.

"Hi." Amy says beaming at him.

"Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

Calling for you and for me;

See, on the portals He's waiting and watching,

Watching for you and for me." Her mother sings in a wavering voice that makes Sheldon cringe.

"Is that your mother?" He whispers and Amy nods. "I can see why she plays the organ and doesn't direct the choir." He says peering around the corner making Amy giggle.

"Amy is that you?" He mother calls from the music room and Amy shoos Sheldon up the stairs.

"Yes mother.", Amy says walking into the room and kissing her on the cheek. "I just came down to apologize for my sass and to tell you goodnight."

"My, it is getting late isn't it?" Her mother says staring dreamily at the grandfather clock as it chimes ten o'clock. "I think I will turn in as well. Good night dear." She says patting her hand and wandering off towards her downstairs bedroom.

Amy runs back up the stairs and when she opens the door to her bedroom she sees Sheldon has set up an indoor picnic. The lamp is turned off but she can see enough from tbe light coming from her bedroom window. There is a blue blanket spread on the floor with what looks like a small loaf of bread, a jar of butter, and two Dr. Peppers. Beside him on the floor is something that looks like an UFO.

"What's all this!" She asks happily.

"It's valentine's day, in my research of romantic dates picnic under the stars came up frequently. The idea of actually eating on the dirt at night was distasteful but I thought this was a close approximation. Sorry it is not more but it had to be what I could sneak from the kitchen and light enough to carry across three blocks." He explains.

"It is perfect!" Amy coos sitting beside him. "What's this?" She asks patting the little UFO.

"This is the under the stars part." He says switching it on and suddenly a starry sky is being projected on the ceiling.

"Oh! That is amazing." She says leaning against his shoulder and looking up.

"It also does the solar system." He says demonstrating by flicking a switch. "But starry sky is more fitting right now." He says switching it back they sit there looking up at the ceiling for a minute before Sheldon asks. "You want some bread?"

"Sure." She says and he cuts her a thick slice and spreads some butter on it and hands it too her. Amy takes a bite and it is sine if the best bread she has ever tasted. "This is so good." She says her mouth full. "Where did you get it?"

"I made it." He tells her eating his slice and opening a Dr. Pepper and handing it to her.

"You made it?" She asks shocked.

"Sour dough bread, Meemaws recipe."

"I didn't know you could cook." Amy asks drinking her soda.

"I excel at everything I try my hand in. It is whether I feel like doing it that's the problem." Admits and they eat the rest of their snack in silence. When they are done he carefully packs away the utensils and the butter. "Shall we lay down and gaze at the stars?" He asks.

"Yes." Amy agrees and they lay on their backs gazing up at the ceiling. The projected stars make the room glow faintly blue. Sheldon grabs Amy's hand and its large solid warmth encircles her small hand. "Thank you, this is so much better than my last valentine's day." She sighs, then she feels immediately guilty. His last valentine's had been so much worse. "I'm sorry." She says sheepishly wondering if he knows what Missy told her.

"What happened last year?" He asks and she tells him the whole story while staring up at the ceiling and squeezing his hand. When she gets to the part at the park the tears come and she can't help it. Sheldon squeezes her hand back and turns to look at her. "I know Missy told you what happened to me. That still sounds worse." He tells her and she turns to look at his face. It wasn't worse but she appreciates the support.

"I'm sorry, I am crying. Some are happy tears that at least now I have you." She admits smiling at him weakly. Then they just stare at each other for a long time. Amy can't ever remember looking into anyones else's eyes. Certainly not the way she was looking into his right now. Even in the semi-dark of the room she can see the brilliant blue color, so intelligent and warm.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are beautiful?" He asks softly stroking her face. And she shakes her head.

"Only you. Just now." She admits.

"Well you are." He tells her leaning in close to her lips. Amy pulls him in the rest of the way and kisses him. Not allowing him to break away like the last time he was in her bedroom. Sheldon kisses her softly small pecks on her mouth, her nose, her neck. Amy's hands feel the itch to touch his bare skin again and work their way up his shirts. He surprises her by pulling his shirts over his head then going back for her mouth.

Amy wishes she could turn on the light and examine every inch of his newly exposed skin. She runs her hands up and down his back feeling each muscle. As his tongue explores her mouth and his hands inch their way her shirt. Her first instinct is to pull his hands away. The new sensation of his hands on the skin of her back and belly is overwhelming.

"Is this okay?" He whispers in her ear. And just that little act of him asking takes away her fear. She shakes her head yes and his hands move upwards brushing lightly over her still covered breasts. Amy is torn between wanting more and thinking it is going to far when he stops.

"Are you okay?" She asks him and he nods.

"I think we should stop now. Or I might not be able to stop myself." He admits panting slightly.

"I'm not ready for that." Amy admits snuggling into his bare chest.

"Nor am I, however that does remind me. I forgot to give you your present." He says sitting up and reaching into his basket and pulling out a black box.

"Sheldon! You didn't have to do that. I thought this was the present. I did'nt get you anything." Amy says flustered.

"It is kind of a present for both of us." He says opening the box inside are two silver rings one cut for a man and one for a woman. "These are promise rings. I am promising myself to you. When we both are ready. The ring is supposed to serve as a reminder that I belong to you. Not that I need one but it is symbolic."

"The other one is me promising myself to you?" She asks him and he nods.

"After our conversation at church, it got me thinking about it. Amy do you promise yourself to me?" He asks hopefully and Amy kisses him in answer. Knocking him back onto the floor with her ardor. He breaks away from her and smiles. "That wasn't clear… Was that a…"

"It's a yes Sheldon." She says happily and he grabs the box and slides the ring on the hand opposite of her engagement finger. Amy grabs his hand and slides his ring on his finger. "So you are my intended now." Amy giggles liking the old fashioned sound of it.

"Yes." He agrees then he looks serious. "Amy it is getting late."

"Oh I understand, you have to go. Thank you for the best valentines ever." She says kissing him again.

"No , actually I was wondering if you minded if I slept here tonight? I have never slept so well as the night I slept with you. Also I really don't want to be alone tonight." He admits shyly

"Of course." Amy says snuggling against his chest and he pulls the blanket off her bed snd wraps it around them.

"Goodnight Amy." He whispers kissing the top of her head.

 **Thank you again for all the reviews and love this story has gotten! You keep reading I will keep writing.**


	9. Fade into you

Sheldon wakes up still shirtless with Amy passed out on his chest. Looking at his watch he sees it is six in the morning. Shocked again at how well he has slept again. Normally he has a very specific routine before going to bed. He did brush his teeth before heading to Amy's house. With kissing being a distinct possibility he hadn't wanted to take any chances.

With Amy still fast asleep and he takes the chance to study her. Sheldon thinks she is even prettier in the morning than she normally is. Amy is wearing the shirt Missy gave her and it is pulled up a bit showing her belly. He goes to pull it down but instead ends up stroking her soft skin. He wants to kiss her awake but he hasn't brushed his teeth yet. As be hesitates Amy wakes up and gives him a sleepy smile. Then the smile turns into a look of horror. She jumps off him and grabs his shirts and hands them to him. Then she gathers stuffs the blanket and the star projector and stuffs them in his basket.

"You've got to go. If you thought I was grounded for getting detention. You don't want to know what she will do if she finds you half naked in my bedroom." Amy tells him as he stands up and pulls on his shirts.

"Do you want me to climb out the window?" He asks hoping the answer is no.

"No, I should be able to sneak you out. Just follow my lead and be very quiet." She says creaking her door open and sneaking into the hall. He follows her down the staircase and into the kitchen. Amy slowly opens the kitchen door and motions for him to make his escape.

"Bye." He says squeezing out the door and she grabs his arm.

"Thank you again for everything. I love you." She tells him kissing him softly.

"I love you, too." He says kissing her one more time. "I better go before you get in trouble."

"Mother has church practice tonight. If she does'nt make me go I will call you while she is gone." She whispers then she shuts the door. Sheldon begins his slightly dazed journey back home.

Sheldon walks around the back of his house and pushes open his window throws his basket in and crawls inside. Once inside he puts on his Friday pajamas then pulls back his covers to give the illusion he had slept in his own bed. Then he heads down the hall to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He can smell coffee brewing and bacon cooking so he knows his mother is up. A shiver of panic rips through him. If she is up then she might of opened his door and seen the empty unmade bed. It was rare that she checked on him but not unheard of.

Feeling a leaden lump of dread forming in his stomach as he pads into the kitchen after his bathroom stop. Mary is humming at the stove flipping pancakes onto a plate. She hears him come in and turns around and beams at him.

"Good morning baby!" She coos. "Now I know yesterday was rough on all of us. But it's nothing that a big old breakfast can't cure. So you just sit on down and I will fix you up a plate." Sheldon sits down and the lump in his stomach eases up a little bit. Not enough to make him feel hungry but if he doesn't eat she will get suspicious.

"Thank you mother." He says as she sets a plate of bacon, eggs, and two giant pancakes in front of him. On second thought maybe he's hungry he thinks as he pours maple syrup all over his pancakes. Just as he lifts his hand to cut into his stack his mother grabs his hand.

"Shelly honey, what is this on your finger here?" Mary asks examining the circle of metal.

"I gave Amy a promise ring for valentine's day. There is one for her and one for me." He tells her and she let's go of his hand.

"What exactly are you promising?" Mary asks as he starts eating.

"Well we are young now but when we are older…" He starts and Mary cuts in.

"Damn right you are young now! Too young to be promising yourself to some girl already." Mary tells him. Mary had been through lots of puppy love with Missy and George Jr. Never had a relationship gotten so serious before. She never thought that it would be Sheldon she would have to worry about getting married before he got an education. "Who gave you the idea to give her a ring?"

"Missy told me I should…"

"MISSY! Get in here!" Mary hollars and Missy stumbles in the room rubbing her eyes.

"Mama, I ain't hungry now. Put some on the stove and I will eat it later." She grumbles.

"Missy did you tell your brother to buy his girlfriend a promise ring?" Mary asks.

"What? No! He asked me what kinds of presents girls like. I don't see why you're made about it though mama. I think it means they are saying they aren't going to have sex or get married anytime soon. But when they do it will be with each other. Right Shelly?"

"I thought it was some sort of pre-engagement ring? I mean ya'll will be seventeen in two weeks. This is no time to be getting married."

"Mother? Why would I get married at this stage in my life? I am leaving for Caltech in the fall and Amy is going to Harvard." Sheldon tells her incredulously just as an angry banging begins on the front door.

"This sounds bad..l so I am going back to bed." Missy announces wanderung back down the hall.

"Who in the devil is that?" Mary asks as she goes to open the door to a livid Peggy Fowler and a miserable looking Amy. "Peggy what can I.." Mary starts but Peggy storms in.

"Have you seen this?" Peggy asks holding up Amy's hand.

"Well it appears that these two have declared their intentions towards each…"

" Intentions? Amy just turned seventeen in December! A seventeen year old girl who has her whole life ahead her does not need to be declaring intentions." Peggy says angrily.

"Mother no one is saying we're getting married right now…" Amy says obviously embarrassed by her mother's display.

"You're darn tooting you're not getting married." Peggy says crossing her arms. "Another thing! Your son does not need tom catting around my house at night. This was not on her finger when she went to bed."

"I was not tom catting. Amy was grounded she met me outside for just a moment to give her the present." Sheldon lies his eye twitching.

"Now Peggy I was just as upset as you when I first saw this. A boy with a future like my Shelly's don't need need to be tied down to the first gal that turns his head. However I am given to understand that these rings are less about marriage and more about commitment right Shelly?"

"Right." he agrees.

"Now that being said I do agree these two are getting awfully serious, awfully fast. To tell you the truth I am a bit out of my depth here. My other two go through dates like kleenex. Maybe these two do need to cool their jets a bit." Amy and Sheldon look to each other.

"Are you saying we have to break up?" Sheldon asks his mother and she holds up her hand.

"Of course not! Forcing ya'll apart will just force ya'll closer together. Amy is on punishment for skipping school with Missy anyways correct?"

"Yes, but how do you know who she was playing hooky with?" Peggy asks.

"Missy is my daughter. Sheldon's twin sister." Mary tells her. Unaware that Peggy had yet to make the connection of who Amy's new bad influence friend was.

"Amy the girl you spent the night with is Sheldon's sister? So you spent the night with Sheldon?" Peggy says holding her hand to her chest and sitting down. " My sweet baby girl has been defiled! Given her flower away! You two most certainly are going to break up."

"Mother it's not like that! That's what the rings mean we are still virgins I promise!"Amy says and her mother looks almost comatose.

"Sheldon did you spend the night with Amy?" Mary asks and tired of all the lying Sheldon folds like a cheap suit.

"At the party Missy forced me to drink alcohol and I fell asleep with Amy in my bed. Amy was in my bed because she was sad that she broke a boys nose for touching her behind. It is the best sleep I have gotten since Daddy died. Amy left before I woke up in the morning. Then to save me from getting in trouble about the party she took me to church with her. I slept over at Amy's last night too. I just wanted to give her a valentines present. Missy said I didn't have to but I wanted to. I was sad about Daddy dying and couldn't sleep. I made Amy sourdough bread and showed her and showed her the tabletop planetarium that I got for christmas." He finishes in a breathless ramble. Glad to finally have all the secrets out in the open. "But we never had coitus, we are too young and I don't know how." He adds and Mary stands there stunned for a moment. Peggy looks like she is about to have a stroke.

"Shelly I believe you." Mary says. "Now go make Mrs. Fowler a hot beverage." Mary says sitting next to Peggy on the couch.

"Yes ma'am." Sheldon says leaving for the kitchen.

"Amy you go help him." Mary says shooing her along. "Me and your mama got some things to discuss."

"Yes Mrs. Cooper." Amy says curtsying then following Sheldon a furious blush on her face. This had to be one of the most embarrassing days in her life. She would be lucky if Sheldon even still wanted to date her after this fiasco.

"Does your mother like coffee or tea?" Sheldon asks rummaging through the cabinets. "Oh! It is February, I could make her hot chocolate with little marshmallows? It's to far outside of fall for hot apple cider." he muses pulling down a box of Swiss Miss.

"Why would it being February make a difference in making the hot cocoa?" Amy asks.

"Everyone knows that you only drink hot chocolate during months with an R in them." Sheldon says seriously like it is the gospel.

"Has anyone ever told you that you are adorable?." She tells him overcome with feelings for him at that moment. What would she do if they said they had to break up? Sheldon was not just her boyfriend, he was her best friend. The only person who has ever understood her.

"Just you, just now." He says mirroring her words from last night and then he surprises her by setting the box down and wrapping his arms around her. "You know whatever ridiculous conclusion they come too it won't keep us apart right?"

"It won't?" She asks.

"Come on we are two of the smartest people in Texas… Maybe the country… I think we can fool two religious zealots." He tells her kissing the top off her head then he let's go and steps away. "Now what hot beverage will quell the rage in your mother's heart?"

"Try peppermint tea." Amy asks.

"All we have is the lipton's my mother uses to make iced tea." He says wrinkling his nose.

"Go with the hot cocoa then." Amy says giggling as they work together to make the cocoa.

They add a candy cane found Mary's candy drawer and a dollop of whipped cream before they are summoned back into the living room. Sheldon brings Peggy her cup of cocoa and eyes her and his mother nervously. Peggy thanks him but ignores the festive looking drink.

"Now we have been talking and we have come to an agreement.' Mary starts eying Sheldon and Amy who both look nervous.

"You two can continue seeing each other. " Peggy says somewhat begrudgingly and Amy takes Sheldon's hand and squeezes it. "Hold on there! There are some ground rules now. It seems be too lenient with you. Giving you too much rope to hang on."

"What does that mean?" Amy asks.

"Well for starters no more sleepovers." Peggy says.

"Ya'll also got to continue going to church together. " Mary adds. "Our church."

"That was a one time thing! I thought our agreement stipulated I only be made to church one Sunday a year." Sheldon gripes.

"You want to see this girl?" Mary asks.

"Of course."

"Then you can see her in church." Mary says firmly.

"Alright, but only if it is Amy's church." Sheldon says.

"How about we switch off weekends?" Mary says "one Sunday at Amy's one Sunday at ours."

"Fine." He says rolling his eyes. "What else?" He asks dreading the other requirements.

"Nothing else just continue going to church and no more sleeping in the same bed. We trust ya'll and we trust what you told us was true Sheldon. We also know with ya'll being tighter than twin pigs in a trash can ! If we try and separate ya'll nothing good can come of it." Mary sighs.

"As long as you two promise no funny business." Peggy says looking at them seriously.

"We promise." they both agree relieved at how light their punishment was.

 **Ok so after this we are time jumping a bit! Not to far but.. Well you will see... Reviews are always welcome.**


	10. Rush, Rush

"Amy! I just don't understand why you had to bow to societal pressure this way." Sheldon moans to Amy as he squirms in his orange plastic chair.

"Sheldon, it is part of growing up! I'm not bowing to anyone. I still don't understand why you don't want to do this too." Amy sighs. She had told him he didn't have to come with her but he had insisted.

"Why do I need to drive?" He asks her.

"I don't know? To get to school, work, to have a feeling of independence?" Amy says annoyed.

"School bus, public transport, my mother? " He says ticking off his prefered modes of transportation on his fingers." I have plenty of independence without flying around in a death trap."

"Remember when we wanted to go to that lecture at Rice University but no one would drive us? Now I could drive us." Amy says and he looks like he is considering it. "Then if you learned to drive…"

"Not going to happen!" He says crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"I still don't understand why you are so against this." Amy says wishing they would just call her name so she could get this over with.

"You want to know?" He asks looking at her and raising his eyebrows.

"You know I do." Amy says curious as to what could turn him so against driving. It was more than just not wanting to learn it bordered on fear. Of course Amy had come to learn that Sheldon had a lot of little fears. Birds, barnyard animals, germs, people touching his food, touching anyone besides herself and select members of his family. It would be nice to know the root cause of at least one of his fears.

"Fine I will tell you! It was July 15th 1990. I was ten years old and my father just told me I was not going to be allowed to advance early. My mother wanted me to be able to graduate and go to college but my father the stubborn old goat wouldn't hear of it. This caused some friction between them and they were fighting like cats and dogs." He paused like he is gathering his thoughts. He closes his eyes like he is remembering something particularly painful.

"One night after a particularly loud bout of fighting that left me crying in the corner. My father forced me in his truck and proceeded to drive me all over East Texas. All while consuming KMart's cheapest bottle of bourbon. Ranting about how all his problems were my fault. That my intelligence was a curse on him and our family. That I was a freak and he didn't know he got landed with me as a son."

"Sheldon! Thats horrible! You know that's not true."

"I know… I was not a nice man sometimes but the story gets worse. He got so drunk that he had to pull over. Instead of sleeping it off on the side of road he forced me to drive us home."

"How would he expect a ten year old child to drive a car home?" Amy asks taking his hand and he squeezes it tightly.

"If you're so freaking smart Shelly you can figure out how to drive this car and get us home." Sheldon says in a deep southern growl imitating his father's voice.

"God, You must of been so frightened." Amy says stroking his hand with her thumb. He bows his head and nods.

"I was terrified, I could barely see over the wheel while operating the pedals. I was going like twenty miles an hour but it felt like one hundred. All these cars were speeding by me and honking their horns. I thought for sure I was either going to crash the truck or get crashed into. I got us home but I vowed that from that point on I would never operate a motor vehicle again."

"Sheldon…" Amy says speechless at his revelation. He had been through so much in his life. He battled so many inner demons and phobias. In fact watching him had helped her decided on what she wanted to study when she got to college. Amy wanted to go into neuroscience and study the brain and how it worked. Amy had watched as he struggled through his obsessive compulsive disorder. Not being able to do simple things unless he had established a pattern first. She had listened while described his synthesia and it fascinated her. Sheldon's mind was beautiful and she wanted to fully understand how it worked.

"I know… That was seven years ago… I should just get over it… That's what everyone tells me." He says not looking at her.

"I wasn't going to say that." Amy tells him and he looks up at her. "I was going to tell you I understand. That if you don't want to learn to drive it is fine and I will be here to take you wherever you need to go." She tells him smiling and he looks at her with those deep blue eyes. Still even after months of dating he could make her heart stop and her stomach flip with just a look. Amy is about to lean in and kiss him on his soft mouth that is pouted out of worry, when her name is called.

"Amy Farrah Fowler your turn with the driver is up." The stern woman calls from the desk. Amy pops up nervously smoothing her skirt down.

"Wish me luck." She tells Sheldon and he shakes his head.

"I don't believe in luck. I hope you complete your drivers test and earn good marks. Also that one of the…" But Amy stops him.

"I don't need another death in vehicle calculation Sheldon!" She hisses stomping off to take her driving test. They had been through every fiery car death scenario and its likelihood several times.

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As against Amy getting her driver's license he had been Sheldon had to admit it had its advantages. Even though he would never admit it to his mother he prefered Amy's driving over hers. Amy obeyed all traffic laws and kept her eyes on the road and her hands at ten and two. Mary however liked to turn around and talk to them as she drove. Sometimes she even drove with her knees as she applied makeup or lit a clandestine cigarette.

As an early graduation gift Amy had been gifted the money for a car from one of her childless aunts. With the money she bought a late model volvo that her mother approved of. Sheldon liked Amy having her own car. Amy did not mind driving two towns over to go to the good comic book store. Something his mother would dismiss as tomfoolery and insist he shop at the poorly stocked local store. As long as he chipped in for gas Amy was happy to drive him wherever he wanted to go within reason and her mother ok'd he had a request that she might veto. This journey would require lying to her mother, driving out of state, and sleeping there overnight. The three things that her mother strictly forbade when Amy got her license and car.

In two weeks during their spring break there was a Star Trek convention in Jackson Mississippi. The drive would take six hours, he knew because two years ago he had made the journey by bus. Six hours on a smelly crowded bus wearing his Spock costume to meet his idol Wil Wheaton. Six hours on a bus only to find out that Wil had canceled to do Hollywood Squares. This had rocketed Wil Wheaton to the top of his list of arch nemesis. Above even the likes of Billy Sparks his childhood tormentor.

Wil was slated to be at the convention again this year. This time Sheldon would give Mr. Wheaton a piece of his mind. Let him know it was not nice to cancel plans when someone takes a six hour bus ride to see them. He had been practicing how to ask Amy for a couple days and he thought he finally had an offer she couldn't refuse.

All day he was nervous with the prospect of asking her for such a large favor. So nervous that he had avoided seeing her when normally he sought her out. When he finally met her to walk with her to her car so she can take them to their Thursday study date she was worried.

"You did' t met me after third period like you normally do." She asks him as they walk.

"Must of slipped my mind." He says and she looks at him skeptically.

"Nothing ever slips your mind Sheldon." She says and he slumps his shoulders. Amy knows him too well for him to hide anything.

"Okay, you caught me… There is something I have been wanting to ask you. I know it is cutting it kind of close. That there is not as much time to plan as you would like. Also it might be awkward given you will have to drive us…" He begins and Amy hugs him and looks at him like she just won the lottery.

"Yes! Of course I will go Sheldon!" She says hugging him.

"Great! I never thought you would be so excited about the Trekcon in Jackson Mississippi!" He says excited patting her back.

"Wait… The what in where?" She asks.

"The Trekcon! You will have to drive us there. It is about a six hour drive from here."

"Trekcon? What is that?" She asks letting him go.

"Only the best Star Trek convention in the South East! I thought you knew? What were you talking about?" He asks as her face crumples.

"Nothing… It doesn't matter. Come on let's go." She says getting into the driver's seat of the car. Sheldon gets into the passenger seat but is undeterred.

"Amy you are clearly disappointed. What did you think I was talking about?" He asks buckling up and she looks at him and chews her lip.

"Prom Sheldon… I thought you were asking me to prom." Amy admits backing out of the parking space.

'Prom? Why on earth would I ask you to go to prom? You know how I feel about forced frivolity and dancing. We both think that such social constructs are unnecessary and demeaning."

"Yeah… Sure… So tell me about this Star Wars." Sheldon cuts his eyes at her and she quickly corrects herself. "Star Trek… Thingie…"

"As I said it is in Jackson Mississippi and some of the brightest stars of the franchise are coming to panels to speak about the show. I know it is a bit of a drive and your mother might have questions. So…" He says excited as they pull into his driveway Amy cuts the car off. "That is why I have prepared this." He says handing Amy a sheet of thick creamy paper.

"You have been invited to try out for the South Jackson Junior Symphony as their harpist." Amy reads and looks over at a Sheldon who clearly expects her to be impressed.

"The perfect excuse to be in Jackson overnight! Your mother will never object to something to do with your perceived musical career. Then when you she asks you what happened you just tell her you botched your audition.

"You don't think I really could play harp in the symphony?" Amy asks and he rolls his eyes.

"Amy it is not real that is the point!" He says exasperated.

"So what happens at one of these?" She asks handing him back the paper.

"So glad you asked! All of the biggest fans of the franchise gather sell and trade merchandise…"

"Sounds so much better than dressing up and dancing with your boyfriend in front of the entire school." Amy says sarcastically but Sheldon misses her tone.

"Oh! But you do get to dress up! I will be dressed as Mr. Spock and you will be dressed as Nurse Chapel. As far as dancing goes I don't think there is much at one of these events. At least none that I have gone too."

"You know what Sheldon? I am pretty tired I think I am just going to head home." Amy says starting the car back up.

"But it is Thursday. We always study together in Thursday's." He says stubbornly.

"Today I have a headache." Amy tells him and he gets out of the car. Amy pulls out as soon as he us out if the car leaving him confused and worried. Sheldon can not shake the feeling that he has done something to really bother his girlfriend.

As much as he tries to carry on like normal. The absence of Amy is weighing in his mind to much to get any work done. Finally he does something he hates doing. He goes to his sister's room to ask her advice. When he walks in her room she is laying in her bed with her feet in the air. Letting the baby blue polish in her toenails dry,

"What's up Shelly?" She asks tilting her head back and waving her feet in the air.

"I need some advice. It seems that I have upset Amy." He Says.

"You say a lot of dumb things so that's not surprising." Missy says.

"As surprising as finding you with your legs in the air." Sheldon scoffs not liking being called dumb. He really does not even know what it means. But he has heard his brother insult her with it before and it was vaugly sexual in tone.

"Goodbye Sheldon." Missy says pointing to the door.

"I'm sorry that was rude, I don't even know why you would have your legs in the air. Please I need your advice." He pleads.

"Well why do you think she's upset?" Missy asks.

"She drove me home but did not want to come inside. She said she had a headache."

"Maybe she really had a headache Sheldon." Missy says.

"I would say that too but she seemed fine before. I guess it is possible she is experiencing her lady time. But that is usually not due for another week if my calculations are correct."

"Before what" Missy asks a little grossed out that her brother knows about his girlfriend's period. She wonders if they are having sex and that's how he is aware.

"Before I asked her to drive us to the Trekcon in Jackson Mississippi. At first she thought that I was asking her to prom…" Sheldon says rolling his eyes at the word prom. Nope definitely not having sex Missy thinks.

"Hold up, here we go… What did you say when she thought that you were asking her to prom?" Missy asks sitting up.

"That I wasn't, I mean to expect for me to take her to something as ridiculous as prom is unreasonable. " he says and Missy sighs.

"Sheldon for someone so smart, you sure are dumb sometimes." Missy laughs.

"Excuse me? I am not dumb!" He says starting to get really angry.

"Think of it this way Shelly. You think it is unreasonable for Amy to want you to take her to a dance in a nice hotel. Where she gets to dress up…"

"Amy will get to dress up at Trekcon! As Nurse Chapel, and on my dime might I add." He says haughtily and Missy just stares at him.

"We are going to pretend you didn't just say that." Missy says rolling her eyes. "Amy wants to put on a pretty dress, see you in a cute tux and dance with you in front of the whole school. You think that is a crazy idea. However you don't think asking her to drive you four hours…"

"More like six hours, if we make great time." Sheldon interrupts.

"Six hours away, across two state lines, to a thingy for a show she might not even like. Most likely asking her to break one or more of her mother's many rules. Do you know that Amy had never been fully grounded until she met you? Now it seems you do something to get her on restriction like every other week. Yet she never makes you do anything." Missy says eying him hard and Sheldon nods his head. "You get it?"

"Yes… So maybe if I take her to something she likes while we are there it will even things out?" He muses. "There is a nice public library there."

"Sheldon what did mama say when you asked her to drive you to that thing a couple years back?"

"That if I wanted to go bad enough I could park my behind on a bus seat and get there myself." Sheldon recalls.

"I suggest you do the same thing again." Missy says turning her attention back to her nails.

"I hate the bus! I was trapped on that smelly sweltering bus for six hours only to find out my former idol Wil Wheaton would not be there. I am not about to waste my time on a journey like that again."

"Then don't go to the silly thing." Missy tells him.

"Silly thing! I am going to try and ignore that comment." He scoffs. "If I don't go how will I exact my revenge on Wil Wheaton?"

"Shelly the man is not your enemy! He is just a dude who played a dude on a stupid television show. Get over it! move on, spend your time worrying about really real things. Like the girl who actually agrees to be your girlfriend. Even though no one understands why." Missy says standing up and putting her hands on her hips.

"Amy loves me that's why!" He says hotly.

"Times like this make me wonder how." Missy tells him.

"You have been no help. I don't know why I even bothered asking you!" Sheldon yells stomping out of her room and going into his and slamming the door. He his so mad he is seeing red as he lies on his bed. Woman were completely unreasonable creatures that was certain.

All he was asking was for one small favor and it is the end of the world. He stares at the ceiling his arms crossed trying to calm down. He rolls to his side and he catches sight of a polaroid picture propped against his lamp.

It is of him and Amy taken by Missy while they were unaware during the celebration for his and Missy's birthday. Missy had gotten the camera as a present and was taking photos of everyone and everything. When she would hand the photographs subject their picture they would shake it in an attempt to make it develop faster. In the photo Amy is whispering a joke about the futility of the practice in his ear. In the picture his eyes are closed and he is laughing, his hand clutching Amy's tightly. He didn't need a photograph to remind him of the day, yet it did not stop him from loving the can remember everything about that day, down to how her warm breath felt in his ear, and how she always smelled like soap and cookies. How even though he hated celebrating his birthday it hadn't been so bad with her there.

Nothing was as difficult to endure as long as she was by his side. That is really why he wanted her to come with him to the convention. Because even if Wil were not to show again. Even if the trip was a complete fiasco Amy would find the fun in it. When his mother had taken him to Houston to get him tested. When his little quirks started taking over his life. The psychiatrist had told him to find a focal point to use to calm down. An image that would bring him back when things started to overwhelm him. That's what Amy was, his focal point she kept him centered.

Sheldon sighs and goes to grab the phone in the hallway. He had to call her and make sure they were okay. He hated thinking of Amy being angry with him. Amy picks up the phone on the first ring and he is relieved. When she sounds like she is feeling better.

"Sheldon I am sorry I left so suddenly." She starts to explain but he interrupts her.

"No I am sorry, I shouldn't of sprang such a large request on you. It was rude of me to expect you to do something like that for me."

"I was actually just about to call you about it." Amy says pausing. "I think we should do it. It might fun and it's not like I had any other plans for spring break."

"Oh Amy! Thank you! It will be fun, you'll see. I promise you won't regret doing this for me." He says and he can almost feel her smile over the phone,.

"My mother just walked in so I will talk to you later. Maybe I can come over tomorrow and we can start planning our trip?" She whispers.

"Excellent, I will see you then." He says as she disconnects and he practically skips to his bedroom in excitement. Wondering what he can do to repay her for this trip.

 **See just a small time jump... Thank you for the reviews and love**


	11. More than this

Amy was surprised how easy the whole trip had been to arrange. Her mother had been ecstatic to hear she had been invited to try out for a real symphony. So excited that she had offered to put down the money for a room at a nice hotel for her stay. Amy told her it was not necessary The symphony would pay for it. In actuality Sheldon had already booked a rom for their was a shame that she would have to tell her mother she had not made it. Peggy would be so sad that she did not make it into the fake symphony.

Sheldon had an even easier time getting his mother to agree to the trip. Mary was already allowing both Missy and George to go to the beach for the week. Denying Sheldon a few days in Mississippi was sure to be met with a well reasoned and impassioned argument. Mary was even okay with Amy accompanying him on the journey. Mostly relieved she would not have to drive him or worry about him on a bus alone for six hours.

The days leading up to their trip were leaving Amy both nervous and excited. This would be the first time she had drove anywhere long distance. Six hours was a long trip especially since Sheldon would not be able to help her with any of the driving. Amy also had something she needed to tell Sheldon.

On the day Sheldon had asked her on this trip and she had run away from him she had never been madder. It was their first real fight but she doubted Sheldon even knew they were in a fight. For all the wonderful things about him he could be so obtuse sometimes. Amy happily drove Sheldon all over town without expecting anything from him. Now he wanted her to drive six hours away and lie to her mother again, but he couldn't take her to a dance?

When she got home that day she checked the mail. In the mail was a thick letter from Caltech university. Months ago without telling Sheldon or her mother she had put her application into the prestigious university. Not telling her mother because she would be upset that she would even consider going to a school other than Harvard. Not telling Sheldon because she would be so embarrassed if she did not get in. Amy did not even know if she would go there if she was accepted. Harvard had been what she had wanted for so long. Then again she wondered if it had been what she wanted or what her mother told her she wanted. All her life she had blindly followed the path her mother had outlined for her. Would still be following that path if her eyes had not been opened to other options.

Now the letter was tucked unopened in her overnight bag. Almost afraid of what the letter said. All she knew that after she held the letter in her hand her anger at Sheldon dissipated. This letter could mean them not having to be separated after the summer. Or was she just being foolish following a boy. Either way she did not want to open the letter until after their trip together. Amy knew she loved him, but was following him right for her. They had never spent that much time together alone. Their mothers had kept an eagle eye watch on them ever since the Valentine's day escapade. Maybe this time together, even if it was at a silly sci-fi convention, could help her make her decision. If she decided she wanted to go they would open the letter together. If she decided she still wanted to go to Harvard then she would throw the letter away unopened.

The morning of the trip Amy pulls into Sheldon's driveway to fund him already sitting outside. He bounces up and bounds to her car like a kid racing to an ice cream truck. Sheldon throws his bag in the backseat and jumps into her passenger seat.

"You're late." He says adjusting his seat.

"My mother made me go over the do's and don'ts of my trip again." Amy says rolling her eyes remembering her mother's lengthy lecture. The gist being don't leave your hotel room unless necessary, talk go no one, trust no one, don't get murdered.

"If we leave right now we can still make my timeline work." Sheldon says as his mother runs out if the house waving her arms and yelling. Sheldon groans loudly and throws his head against the headrest.

"Don't ya'll leave without me speaking to you!" Mary says jogging up to the car. Amy rolls down her window and Mary pokes her head inside. "Now Amy you got some precious cargo with you. If anything happens to my baby I will hold you personally responsible." Mary says winking to indicate she is only partially serious.

"Of course ." Mary gives her the evil eye and Amy stammers. "Of course Mary. I will drive very carefully."

"Now Amy… Does your mama know that you are driving Sheldon to this foolishness." The look Mary gives her lets her know that she already knows the answer.

"No ma'am." Amy admits hanging her head.

"Mother! Please don't rat Amy out. Her mother would never let her go! I promise we aren't going to do anything we aren't supposed to do." Sheldon pleads.

"Did I say I was?" Mary says putting her hand on her hip. "I trust ya'll enough to let you do this. Just don't do anything that will make me have to tell Amy's mama about this." Mary tells them winking and Sheldon and Amy look at each other surprised.

"We promise." they both vow and Mary smiles at them and pulls her head out of the window. "Now ya'll two skedaddle! Have fun and call me when you get there." Mary Says slapping the car's hood and walking back inside the house blowing them a kiss.

"Your mother scares me sometimes." Amy tells Sheldon as they pull out of his driveway.

"Understandable." Sheldon agrees nodding his head. "Your mother terrifies me."

"If she terrifies you imagine how I feel around her. When she is around you she is on her best behavior." Amy tells him.

"Then I would hate to see her at her worst." He says.

"You have no idea." Amy says thinking about all the times she was locked in the sin closet. Or the times her mother made her kneel on grits and pray for her sins. The grits felt like glass as they cut into her skin. Sometimes she had to kneel for hours praying for forgiveness,for any number of things. Lately it was mostly for her sass back. Amy had just had to do it again to atone for her sin of sneaking around with Sheldon and having improper thoughts about a boy. There were permanent scars on her knees from it. It's why she had taken to wearing tights all the time to cover the abuse."You really would." Amy says quietly.

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The drive while long is very fun. All through Texas Sheldon points out important landmarks to both Texas and his family.

"This is the cemetery they found my father passed out drunk in." He says pointing out the window to a small church cemetery. Covered in ancient looking tombstones.

"Spooky ,was it Halloween?" Amy asks him.

"No he just lost his way trying to walk home from a bar."

"That's a long way from your house why was he walking?" She asks.

"The bartender took his keys, and he was drunk as a skunk. The man spent most of his life in an inebriated state." Sheldon sighs as he points out another much larger cemetery with modern looking tombstones. "That is the cemetery where he is actually buried. Had to buy him an extra large coffin."

"Do you ever go visit him?" She asks thinking of how long it had been since she visited her father's grave.

"I assume by visit him you mean the plot of land where interred. Seeing as though he is dead and visiting him in the flesh is an improbable. To that question the answer is no. Unlike my mother and sister I feel no comfort in looking at and talking to the spot where his bones lay." He says and then he gets quiet.

Sheldon remains quiet for hours until they hit the Louisiana state line. Once out of Texas he starts talking about the Louisiana purchase and other historical items about the state. Amy does' t mind she likes the sound of his voice. Amy contributes other interesting facts as she remembers them and the second leg of their journey passes quickly.

"You know a lot about history Sheldon. Maybe you should think about becoming a history professor." She deadpans barely able to keep the giggle out of her voice. Sheldon looks at her like she just suggested going to clown college. "Kidding Sheldon! Obviously you would never be happy regurgitating facts as a profession." Amy says laughing and when it dawns on him that she was joking he starts laughing too.

"Good one Amy!" He says laughing. "Maybe you should become a professional driver. Go to Harvard to learn how to drive a taxi." He snorts and Amy smiles at him then turns quiet. The mention of Harvard reminding her of the letter in her bag.

"Are you hungry Sheldon? We could stop and get something." Amy asks her stomach growling.

"No need my mother packed us lunch. If we stop we add another hour to our travel time." He says grabbing his backpack from between his legs and pulls out two sandwiches. He unwraps his takes a bite and places Amy's on the console.

"How thoughtful." Amy says reaching for her sandwich and he stops her.

"Maybe I should feed it too you so that you can maintain control over the vehicle?" He asks looking at her and she shakes her head no.

"That won't be necessary Sheldon."

"No I think it is a good idea. Here let me try." He says unwrapping the sandwich and holding it up to her face. The sandwich hits her in the face and smears jelly on her cheek .Amy grabs it from his hand.

"That was more distracting than me just eating the damn sandwich." She says taking a bite of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Language Amy!" He says scandalized and his horrified expression makes her giggle.

"Who is going to punish us for saying a bad word? It is just us in here? We can say whatever we want." Amy reminds him and he looms like he is contemplating it.

"I still feel uncomfortable with the language." He confirms.

The rest of the car trip passes by quickly and they make it to their destination in record time. It is almost two o'clock when they arrive and they had been driving since eight. When Amy pulls into the parking garage she is ready to stretch her legs. The convention isn't until tomorrow, so they have an afternoon and night to kill. They check into the room and find that is one room with two side by side beds. Not that they mind sharing but it since Mary had booked it they were expecting separate rooms.

"What do you want to do until the convention?" Amy asks Sheldon but he is not listening to her.

"Ugh." Sheldon scoffs looking around the room.

"What's wrong?" Amy asks going to unpack her bags. Sheldon follows her and starts to do tbe same.

"Nothing, it's just that this room reminds me of the many rooms I've had to stare with my siblings over the years during vacations. Mom and Dad in one bed the three of us sharing the other. My parents would leave us locked in the hotel room while they went to dinner. Missy and George would have pillow fights and build blanket forts. While I was shunned completely. Once they even locked me in a closet and I had to stay there all night because I fell asleep by the time my parents returned." He says shaking his head sadly at the memory

"Oh Sheldon I'm sorry. If it makes you feel better I have never been included either. I've never had a pillow fight or built a blanket fort. My first and only sleepover was with you. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a sibling. At least I would have had someone to play with."

"Or you could have ended up just as lonely and excluded." He tells her.

"Let's have a pillow fight!" Amy says excited wanting to change the subject from being sad and he rolls his eyes.

"Amy two seventeen year olds on their way to… " he begins zipping up his suitcase but before he can finish Amy grabs a pillow off the bed and smacks him across the face with a it. He turns around and she thinks he is really angry until he walks calmly over to the bed and picks up a pillow.

"So it's going to like that Ms. Fowler?" He asks deadly calm swinging the pillow in his hand. "I am going to show you what happens to girls who assault men with pillows without warning." He says holding the pillow up over his head.

"If you can catch me first!" Amy says running away from him. He chases her around the room until she hops on the bed. He hops on the other one wielding his pillow.

"Admit defeat!" He yells and Amy hits him with her pillow.

"Never!" She yells as he hits her with his pillow and bounces from his bed to her bed. Amy hits him with her pillow again in the stomach. Then bounces off to the next bed. Sheldon follows her and with one bounce knocks her onto the bed. He gets on top of her and gently hits her with the pillow making her scream with laughter.

"Do… You...admit… Defeat?" He asks as he hits her with the pillow. Knocking her glasses off making them fall onto the floor.

"Okay! You win! Get off!" She yells and he gets off her and smirks at her.

"I am the master of both tickle and pillow…" He says smugly as Amy hits him with her pillow again and jumps on top of him. Beating him with the pillow in his head and chest as she straddles him.

"Who's the master now?" She asks as he flips her over and fits himself between her legs. They are both sweaty and breathless from the exertion.

"Still me." He says leaning down to kiss her.

It had been so long since they were able to kiss like this. Amy feels like her entire body is on fire. Her reaction to his kiss almost embarrass her as she wraps her arms and legs around him to pull him as close as possible. Her hands can't help themselves and they find themselves winding up his shirts to feel his skin. They kiss for what feels like hours and Amy hopes it never stops.

When he breaks the kiss he sits up and pulls off his shirts again to give her better access. Then instead of going back to her mouth he starts lightly kissing her neck. He starts working on the buttons of her sweater. When he has pulled that off he starts on the her blouse. Pulling it open and gently kissing her collarbone to the tops of her still covered breasts. There is no reason to tell him to stop. They are all alone, no one is going to walk in on them and find them like this. There was no reason not to go all the way with him right here, right now. Only something about it doesn't feel quite right yet.

"Sheldon we…"

"Should stop. I agree." He says rolling off her and laying beside her. "I am sorry I crossed a line."

"No, I don't mind what we were doing. I'm just not ready for more." She tells him and he looks at her seriously.

"Neither am I." He admits and she leans in to kiss him again.

Just a soft kiss on the lips. Yet when their lips connect again there is no stopping them. Amy curls into his body gently caressing pulls off her shirt and then unhooks her bra and pulls that off too. They kiss passionately their hands exploring each others naked flesh. The feeling of her bare breasts rubbing against his chest was enough to send waves of pleasure through her body. Then when he kisses a path down from her neck to them again. Taking them into his hands and kissing each tip the waves of pleasure crash down on her. Amy has never felt like that before like a bomb had exploded inside her sending aftershocks of pleasure throughout her entire body.

"That was something else." Amy says gulping when he comes back up to her face. Still riding the high of what she had just experienced. Looking into his handsome was his lips swollen from kissing his blue eyes bright. Amy can't keep her secret from him anymore. "Sheldon there is something I have been wanting to tell you." She says getting up and pulling her shirt back on and buttoning it back up. She finds her glasses which had been knocked off during the pillow fight and thankfully not broken and puts them on. She retrieves the letter from her bag and hands it to him. He sits up and takes it flipping it over in his hands to read the front.

"It's from Caltech, what are they sending you?" He asks.

"I applied months ago and never told you. I did not want you to think less of me if I couldn't get in. I still don't know if I got in or not. I want you to open it for me." Amy tells him sitting beside him on the bed.

"Very well." He says opening the letter up and skimming its contents. "Congratulations Ms. Fowler you are going to Caltech." He says excited hugging her.

"I got into Caltech, I still may not be going. I also got into Harvard. Now I don't know what I want to do." Amy sighs.

"Why on earth would you not want to go to Caltech if you got in? You only want to go to Harvard because that's where your mother wants you to go." He says annoyed.

"Yeah and I only want to go to Caltech because you want me to. I have not decided what Amy wants to do." She says hotly.

"It would be silly to turn this down." He says.

"Maybe I am silly." Amy says grabbing her sweater and bag and storming out of the room. Sheldon looks after stunned. How did they go from having so much fun to fighting.

"Amy wait!" He calls pulling on his shirts as quickly as he can. "You're not even wearing your bra." He calls looking at the discarded garment.

Sheldon leaves the room and tries to find Amy. He hopes she has not gone to far. He was miserable with directions and would never be able to find his way back to the hotel. If Amy was so made that she left in her car he would be stranded. He races into the hotel lobby and then he sees her standing by one of the ballroom entrances. Amy looks so tiny and out of place standing in the middle if the lobby. He walks over to her and reads the sign she is looking at.

"Welcome South Jackson class of 1996 Senior Prom." He reads and she looks over at him.

"Sorry I ran away again. Some people fight. Some people run. I am a runner." Amy admits.

"It's evolutionary." Sheldon explains. "I am a bit of a runner myself."

"Come on let's go back to the room." Amy says taking his hand.

"No wait, let's go inside." Sheldon says gesturing at the closed ballroom doors.

"Why we aren't exactly dressed for prom Sheldon." She says trying to tug him away.

"That's the beauty part of it we don't have to be. The sign says that their Prom will not start until eight. It is only six right now. The ballroom is most likely decorated and abandoned." He says pulling her over to the doors and pushing them open. The inside is decorated in what the banner proclaim is "A night under the stars theme" theme. Everything is silver and black with stars hanging everywhere.

"It's like they knew we were gate crashing." Amy says looking around in awe.

"Improbable but it is still a nice effect." Sheldon agrees leading her to the dance floor. "Shall we dance?"

"We can't dance there is no music." Amy says laughing as he grabs her hands.

"Then I will just have to sing for you." He says as he begins crooning. "Are the stars out tonight? I don't know if it's cloudy...or bright… I only have eyes , for you, dear!" He sings exaggerated making her laugh.

"Why are you being so sweet?" Amy asks as he sways them to the imaginary music.

"Aren't I always sweet?" He asks wounded.

"You endeavor to be, but you don't always succeed." Amy says teasing him and he smirks.

"You caught me, I have an ulterior motive. I have been trying to figure out the best way to ask you. This opportunity arises and I couldn't pass it up."

"Oh?" Amy asks curiously.

"Amy Farrah Fowler will you go to prom with me?" He asks and she jumps up and kisses him on the mouth.

"Is that a…?""

"It's a yes Sheldon!" Amy says wrapping her arms around him and hugging his neck. They look into each other's eyes and sway. Until the door to the ballroom opens and the proms organizers yell at them to leave.

You caught me angry guest reviewer… I know nothing about Star Trek. I just wanted them in a hotel far away together and to mix some canon from the show in there… Which I did educate myself on… Oh but they still have to meet Wil Wheaton.


	12. In the arms of sleep

**A big thank you to cutelittlelumpofwool82! She gives me the best ideas and is always there to bounce an idea off of. Also you may notice I changed the chapter titles. To get into tbe 90's spirit of the story I found myself listening to playlist from the era. I changed the chapter titles to reflect tbe song that inspired the chapter (also cutelittlelumpofwool82s idea)**

 _Sheldon spins her slowly around the dance floor.. Her dress is pure white and made of delicate lace. It looks like something out period looks every bit the part of leading man in his black tuxedo. It is just them and when she looks up she sees the gym is filled with stars. Real stars twinkling in inky blackness_

 _"How did you do all this?" She asks in awe as he sways her to the music._

 _"I would do anything for you. Even bring you the stars." He says dipping her low and kissing her neck._

 _"I don't deserve you." She tells him._

 _"You're right,you don't deserve me. You don't even really have me." He says his voice changing sounding cruel and cold. Amy looks into his face which has changed to an emotionless mask._

 _"Sheldon what are you talking about." She asks confused as she hears footsteps behind them. It is the girls from her old school. The reason she had to move from California._

 _"You think a boy like him, could actually love you?" One asks laughing._

 _"Sheldon is far too smart, too handsome, too amazing to ever be with a girl like you." Another one says walking up to him and taking him by the hand._

 _"Surely you can see that Amy? Gorilla fingers Fowler with a boy like this?" Another girl asks taking his other hand and standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Sheldon turns his head and kisses her mouth. They make out nosily in front of her until he turns his attention to the other girl beside him and kisses her._

 _"Sheldon, what's going in? What are they talking about? You love me? You love me right?" Amy begs and he stops kissing the girl looks at her with pity._

 _"No, I could never love you… Can't you see this was all a part of the plan?"_

 _"Plan? What plan? What are you talking about?" Amy asks backing away and the lights in the gym turn on. Revealing they had never been alone. The whole school was watching them and now they were all laughing at her._

 _"To finish what we started." He says throwing something at her. It explodes against her dress leaving a large red stain. When she touches it she sees that it is blood. Everyone starts throwing the balloons filled with blood at her. Until she is standing in the middle of the gym soaked with blood. She crumples into a ball onto the floor. Sheldon walks over to her and crouched down low to look at her face._

 _"How could you." She whispers._

 _"No Amy, how could you ever believe this was real_?"

Sheldon wakes up to the sound of screaming coming from the bed next to him. He turns on the lamp next to the bed to see Amy flopping around like a fish out of water on her bed wailing like a banshee.

"Amy!" He yells jumping into her bed shaking her. "Amy wake up please." He says desperately trying to rouse her from her dream. He wraps her up in his arms and holds her close to his chest stroking her hair. Eventually she stops thrashing and yelling and she looks up at him with wide tear filled eyes.

"What happened?" She asks confused.

"I don't know, I woke up and you were thrashing around and screaming. I was really scared I thought you might be having a seizure."

"I get night terrors. I'm so sorry I should've warned you." Amy says her voice shaking.

"That was just the result of a nightmare?" He asks concerned and she starts crying. Sobbing and soaking into the flannel material of his pajamas.

"I know I'm a freak I'm sorry. You don't have to stay with me. It won't happen again." She says wiping her eyes and trying to scoot away. Sheldon holds her tight and doesn't let her leave.

"You're not a freak, it was just a bad dream. Do you want to tell me about it?" He asks and she shakes her head no.

"It just felt so real." She says looking up at him her eyes are still shiny with tears. Amy kisses him and her lips taste salty like her tears. He kisses her back softly not wanting to take advantage of her in her vulnerable state. Amy's tongue darts against his lips asking for access which he denies. Amy pulls away looking wounded. He can tell his denial hurts her and he tries to explain.

"You just had a nightmare Amy. I don't what happened in your dream. But you don't have to prove anything to me. I am here no matter what."

"I'm not trying to prove anything ,I am trying to make myself feel better."Amy sighs flopping on her back.

"Make yourself feel better how exactly?" Sheldon asks curiously and Amy turns on her side and looks at him.

"Can I tell you something kind of embarrassing Sheldon?" She asks.

"You can tell me anything." He vows.

"First let me ask you a question. Do you promise to answer me truthfully?" Amy asks fidgeting with the covers.

"Of course." He says.

"Have you ever had an orgasm?" She asks and he stammers he knows his face must be bright red. However he promised to answer her truthfully.

"I...I… Don't really know." He admits shyly.

"See I had never had one before either. I did not know what one was really. All my mother told me about sex was that a man will try to stab you with his sword and make you draw blood. She refused to let me participate in sex education during school. So all I know I gleaned from biology textbooks."

"I wish my mother had signed me out of that. Most embarassing class I have ever had to sit through. Labeling diagrams of the male genitalia and female reproductive organs and such."

"I didn't even get that much. My mother made sex seem like the most painful experience a woman could have. The books said it could be intensely pleasurable. I did not know what to think. I read about orgasms but I did not really understand them until today."

"Why not until today?" He asks.

"I had one, when you were… Well you know…" She admits blushing and gesturing to her breasts and suddenly it dawns on him and he is very pleased.

"Did you now?" He says happily and she curls into his body.

"Yes, it was amazing… It felt like my body was struck by lightning… In a good way!" She corrects when he looks mildly horrified." Have you ever had one? Does that sound familiar?"

"Umm." He stalls he knew what they were. Not only from health class but from hearing the tawdry talk come out of his father and brother's mouths. Before he had met Amy, sex and all its components had never interested him. Occasionally he might get a tight achy feeling in his stomach. His body betraying him by reacting to some outside stimuli. He had always been able to will the feelings away without acting. Then after meeting Amy the feelings got harder to will away. There had been once or twice he lay in bed after one of their kissing sessions trying to clear his head. Yet the smell of Amy refused to leave him, his eidetic memory could recall in perfect detail the taste of her lips. The feeling of her featherlight tongue moving against his. Her soft hands roaming his flesh. The tension and pressure building up in him until it felt unbearable. Almost giving into self abuse, trying to imagine the hand on him was hers. All too quickly his imagination would fail him. It was not Amy's but his own hand and he felt silly and dirty.

"I want to try and give you one." Amy says and he looks at her shocked.

"Amy I don't think…" He stammers as her lips connect with his again and he finds it harder to resist her.

"Please, you did it for me. I have never seen a boy before. I want to see what you look like." She murmurs against his ear her warm breath making his skin tingle.

Sheldon knows he should deny her but he is finding it harder. Truthfully he wants to do what she asking more than anything. He had thought about what it would feel like many times. Yet fear of the unknown and a sudden wave of shyness overtake him. Instead he kisses her deeply and rolls her over onto her back and gets on top of her. Fitting himself between her legs he presses against her. Before he had avoided trying show her how excited she made him. Careful not to press into her to hard in case it scared her or grossed her out. Even when she had climbed on top of him he had tried to move her so she could not feel him. Now as he strains against the material of his pajamas he presses against her hard. Rubbing himself against the thin cotton material of her panties.

It feels good and he can almost imagine what it would feel like without the barrier of their clothes. Amy moans softly into his mouth and he wonders if she is enjoying herself as much as he is. It feels like their is an elastic band inside him being slowly being stretched. Until suddenly it snaps and the pleasure he feels his so intense it almost takes his breath away.

"Amy." He moans rolling off her. "That was…"

"I know." She agrees snuggling into his side again.

"Did you orgasm again?" He asks curiously and she shakes her head yes and shyly tucks her head into his shoulder.

"So I'm getting proficient at it." He says smugly. "You know this is precisely why we agreed to sleep in separate beds." He reminds her smiling.

"I'm sorry I attacked you. You can go back to your bed now if you want." Amy tells him hoping he doesn't agree.

"Actually I think it was the other way around. No need to switch beds, the alarm to wake up is going off in an should just stay together."

"If you insist."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Sheldon, I look ridiculous! I am not wearing this!" Amy calls through the closed bathroom door. She examines her reflection in the mirror. Her mother would have a cow if she saw her in this get up. Peggy Fowler did not believe in costumes. Amy had never been allowed to celebrate Halloween.

If she saw her dressed in this short blue dress with tall black boots she might faint. Of course she would also faint if she knew she was staying unchaperoned in a hotel with Sheldon. Or if she knew what they had been up to in the hotel room. Amy could barely look at Sheldon after how she had attacked him this morning. Even now her cheeks reddened as she thought about how she had begged to see him sans culottes. It had been that dream that made her lose control.

"Amy, just come out I am sure you look fine." He says on the other side of the door. "Please Amy." He begs and she relents and opens the door and steps out. He is dressed in a long sleeved blue shirt that matches her dress. His hair is slicked back and he is wearing pointy ears. When he sees her he gulps hard and licks his lips. " Amy you look…"

"Stupid." She finishes.

"That is not what I was going to say." He says but before he can say more Amy cuts him off.

"Who am I even supposed to be?" She asks.

"Nurse Chapel." He answers her.

"Who are you?" She asks and he looks a little annoyed that it is not readily apparent.

" ." He starts to explain more but Amy cuts him off again.

"Are Nurse Chapel and Spock boyfriend and girlfriend?" Amy asks and Sheldon looks at her shocked.

"Of course not! Spock didn't date! Well once every seven years his blood boiled with mating lust. That's different from dating however." He says then he cuts his eyes at her. "We watched the show together, remember?" Amy does remember him making her watch some silly science fiction show a few weeks ago. Amy tried to pay attention because his enthusiasm for the show was evident. However it just was not her cup of tea and Amy had spent the time writing her history paper in her head.

"Not everyone is blessed with an eidetic memory like yours." Amy reminds him and he softens towards her.

"I do tend to forget that not everyone is equipped with my gifts." He says stepping closer to her and tucking a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. "You look wonderful by the way. I could get used to seeing you in this outfit." He voice turns deep almost a growl making her blush.

"You look cute too, I like your ears." She tells him touching the tips of his ears.

"Don't touch! These suckers are hard to glue on." He says covering his ears up and she giggles.

"Come on let's go." She says walking away to grab her purse as she walks away he swats her behind. Amy turns around and he wiggles his eyebrows at her. "You better behave yourself." She admonishes him shaking her finger at him.

When they get to the convention hall Amy is shocked by the number of costumed Star Trek fans that there is. There are people in much more elaborate costumes than her own. There are people walking around who look like they were made up by professional makeup artists. Amy is also pleased to see that she is not the only girl in attendance. There are lots of other girls dressed up and walking around.

Amy still can't wrap her head around how a boy as intelligent and accomplished as Sheldon would waste his time on stuff like this. Yet his enthusiasm is catching and she starts enjoying herself more than she thought she would.

They get their picture taken next to a space ship that Sheldon tells her is called the Enterprise. Sheldon joins and wins a Klingon boggle tournament. Then get in line to join a meet and greet with an actor named Wil Wheaton.

"Ah I will finally get my revenge on Wil Wheaton today." Sheldon says looking devious and Amy is confused.

"Get your revenge?" Amy asks. "Who is Wil Wheaton and why do you need to exact your revenge on him?"

"Wil Wheaton played the character Wesley Crusher on Star Trek Next Generation. Formerly he was my hero. Wesley was a know it all boy genius with an eidetic memory." Sheldon tells her pointing to a blown up photo of a man on the sign.

"I can see how you would relate to a character like that." Amy sympathizes.

"Who wouldn't relate to a character like that?" Sheldon asks not getting it. "It doesn't matter now anyways, Wesley and the man who played him Wil Wheaton have gone from being my hero to my arch nemesis."

"You have an arch nemesis?"

"Actually I have six, I will show you the list when we get home. Wil Wheaton is number one on that list."

"What could an actor from a science fiction show possibly have done to you?"

"So glad you asked. You see when I was fifteen he was slated to appear here. I begged my mother and father to take me and they refused. Undaunted I was going to meet my hero by any means possible. Eventually they agreed to let me to take the bus. After tumultuous six hour bus ride in which I was harassed and mugged, I arrive in Jackson. Only to find out that Wil Wheaton as better things to do and has canceled his appearance! Six hours for nothing, I was crushed."

"Sheldon the people slated to appear are always subject to change. He might of had a better offer, or a personal emergency. It's no reason to hold a grudge against him. What are you even going to do to exact revenge?" Amy asks exasperated.

"Amy I get the feeling you aren't being very supportive of this?"

"Oh really? What gave you your first clue?" Amy says rolling her eyes.

"If you are not with me in this, then you are against me. " Sheldon says stubbornly.

"Sheldon do I need to remind you that I drove you here? I drove six hours and put on a silly costume to support you!" Amy reminds you but he just gets silent. "While you think about that I am going to go to the restroom." Amy says walking away wiping her eyes trying to keep from crying. The line for the bathroom is way too long but she needs some time away so she waits. When she finally gets out she realizes the exit for the bathroom is on the opposite end of the entrance. Amy is completely turned around and lost and she starts to feel panicked. There seems to be endless lines if people all dressed similar to what Sheldon was wearing. All the booths look the same to her and she has no idea how she will find where she was. Then she starts crying for real as she runs smack into someone's chest.

"Oh god I am so sorry." She mumbles backing away. The man she ran into looks familiar, he is in his twenties. Handsome in a way with dark hair and light eyes.

"It's okay little mama." The man says smiling at her. "Why are you crying? Someone shoot a phaser in your eye?" Amy thinks he must be referencing the show but she has no idea.

"I got in a fight with my boyfriend over Wil Wheaton and when I went to the bathroom to get away from him I got lost." She tells him and the guy looks at her weird.

"Why would you be fighting over Wil Wheaton? I mean Wil Wheaton is a fantastic guy but not worth fighting over." He says and Amy looks up at him and suddenly it dawns why is familiar it is the same face as the poster outside the convention hall she had been waiting outside of.

"You're Wil Wheaton!" She exclaims covering her mouth in excitement.

"Guilty, but you still did not tell me what the fight was about." He asks sincerly.

So Amy tells him the whole story as he walks her back in the right direction . All about how much Sheldon had admired him and how upset he was when he missed his chance to meet him. Then about his plot for revenge which Amy assures him will not be too bad. For all his bluster Sheldon was at his core a nice guy who could never really hurt anyone. When she is done Wil shows her back to the line and tells her he will make the situation right. Amy does not know what he is going to do or if he really is going to do it. A famous actor had no reason to help her but she hopes he does. When she finally finds Sheldon again he looks relieved to see her.

"Where were you? I was getting worried." He asks stroking her shoulder.

"I got lost getting out of the bathroom." Amy admits.

"Your back just in time, they are letting us in now." He says as the line moves forward into the convention hall. They take their seats and Amy hopes that whatever Wil plans to do happens before what Sheldon plans to do. Wil talks about his time on the show, his plans moving forward and when he is done he opens the floor up to questions. The first one asked is about how does he feel about his fanbase. And how important does he feel it is to maintain a relationship with his fans.

"Very." He answers to which Sheldon snorts and whispers in Amy's ear

"Yeah right wait until he hears my question. It will stump him and make him look like a complete idiot."

"Just recently I heard about a fan who traveled six hours to see me then was very disappointed when I had to cancel." Wil continues and Sheldon looks wide eyed at Amy. "So I would like to invite this fan on stage to accept my apology and to get a signed picture of me. Sheldon Cooper come on up!" Sheldon bounds up into stage and shakes Will's hand and accepts the picture from him.

"Thank you so much." He tells him enthusiastically. "Could you also sign my action figure he asks pulling it out from the bag on his shoulder."

"Don't mention it, sorry I had to cancel before." Wil says as he signs the package and then he covers the mic and whispers to Sheldon. "You should thank your girlfriend dude. I found her crying and wandering around. Hang into her dude, she is an awesome girl."

"I know she is, thanks again." Sheldon says somewhat sheepishly and then he climbs off the stage.

"So is Wil still your arch nemesis?" Amy asks when Sheldon gets back to his chair. Sheldon shakes his head no and smiles at her.

"No, I've got my hero back." He tells her grabbing her hand.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When they get back from the convention Amy hops in the shower. Sheldon starts taking off his costume when he tries to pull his ears off but they are stuck on good. He thinks that if he could get into the bathroom he could use the steam from Amy's hot shower to remove them. The thought of walking in the bathroom where Amy is nude excites him. His arousal for her had been simmering all day long. From this morning and her whispered plea to see him naked. Seeing her dressed in her tantalizing costume had almost sent him over the edge. Then what she had done for him, getting Wil Wheaton to issue him a public apology. Amy couldn't be any more perfect to him at that was the worst that could happen if he walked in there with her. The worst was she told him to leave. The best was more than even his wildest imagination would allow him to think about. He stares at the closed door for a moment then resigns himself for adventure.

"Screw it I'm going in." He says to himself pulling off his clothes and opening the bathroom door. He walks inside his nerves almost making him turn back but he steels his nerves forges ahead. Pulling back the curtain and stepping inside the shower with her. Amy turns around and gasps when she sees him inside.

"Sheldon! What are you doing?" She asks blinking the water from her eyes.

"My spock ears were stuck on and I thought the steam might help remove them." He tells her and she reaches up and gentle caresses his ears. Starting at the lobe and working her way up to the tips. The sensation is starting a vascular throbbing starting in his ears and going downward. When she reaches the tops of his ears the prosthetic tips come off in her hands.

"I got them off, is that all you needed?" Amy asks holding out the ears to him. He takes them and sets them in the soap dish.

"You said earlier you wanted to see what I looked like." Sheldon reminds her. "I wanted to see what you look like too." Amy gulps and looks him up and down. Sheldon is nervous under her appraisal. He takes the time to drink her in as well, enjoying the soft curves that her Nurse Chapel outfit had accented.

" What do you think?" She asks nervously, and he grins at her. He is more worried about what she thinks of him. She is beautiful, she has to be aware of her beauty.

"I think you are beautiful." He tells her and she steps up him and wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. He wraps her around her waist and pulls her tight against his body.

"I think you are too." She whispers in his ear.

 **Did they? Or did'nt they? Stay tuned to find out!**

 **Thank you for all the reviews and love.**


	13. Mother, Mother

**A big thank you to cutelittlelumpofwool82 for helping with the story. Also to Tarramisu for story support and a great idea.**

Missy is in the front yard with her friend Kimberly laying out when Amy's car pulls up. She still can't believe that her mother let them go away together and sleep in the same hotel room. Sure she let her go to the beach, but she had to share with George. Mary had no idea who she was really sharing with. Mary was pretty confident that they would keep their promise of abstinence. Missy wasn't so sure, she had seen the way her brother looked at Amy. It was only a matter of time before those two nerds figured out how it worked.

Missy watches them with disinterest, her sunglasses hiding her eyes. They are just sitting in the car talking, as if they did not talk enough in the six hour car ride. Missy had been trapped with her brother on trips before. She knew how that mouth never stopped moving. Then suddenly they are kissing. Missy had seen them kiss before, chaste little goodbye pecks. This was different, this made her have to look away because of its intensity. Sheldon has Amy backed up against her window, Amy's hands are wrapped all around his neck. Then her elbow hits the horn and startles them and Kimberly who had been too busy looking at a magazine to notice them. Amy laughs and Sheldon kisses her again softly this time, then once more, before Amy pulls away. Missy can tell she is telling him she has to go. Missy is shocked at the public display of affection. It is like he can't see them out there or he just doesn't care

"Is that your brother?" Kimberly asks pulling down her shades to watch Sheldon unfolds himself from Amy's car and grabs his bag from the back. He waves goodbye to Amy as she pulls out then he walks up the driveway.

"Of course that's my brother, you have known us since kindergarten Kim!" Missy tells her.

"He looks different." Kimberly says scanning his lanky frame as he walks up the driveway. Missy can see what she means he does look different. He is carrying himself better his broad shoulders squared his head held high. He is still tall and skinny but he is starting to become quite handsome. Sheldon walks past them without saying anything and Missy stops him.

"Don't you just walk past us, like you don't see us!" She shouts at him. The old Sheldon would have just rolled his eyes and walked inside. Much to her surprise however he stops and walks over to them.

"Hello Missy, Hello Kimberly." He Says politely.

"You remembered my name." Kimberly giggles like it is a big deal he remembers her name. Sheldon remembers everyone's name. Sheldon has known her since kindergarten. Missy and Sheldon give her a weird look

"You spent an awfully long time saying goodbye to a girl you just spent three days with." Missy teases him.

"Were'nt you just at the beach for a week Missy?" He asks cocking his head to the side.

"Yeah." Missy says confused.

"Yet here you are outside still worshipping the sun." He says tilting his chin up at the sky "Somethings you just can't get enough of." He says and then turns to go inside the house.

"Wow." Kimberly whispers as she watches Sheldon disappear inside the house. "Your brother got hot."

"He did not get hot. He looks exactly the same! You just think he is cute now because he finally has his nose out of a book." Missy says closing her eyes and leaning back on her chair.

" I think he is cute because he is! Plus have you ever had a boy that in love with you? He basically said he worshipped Amy." Kimberly sighs.

"No, I don't think anyone has ever been as in love as my brother is with that girl. It's cute, stuffy old Shellybot head over heels in love."

"I don't think I have ever had a boy head over heels in love with me before." Kimberly sighs. "How serious are he and Amy? Do you think they are doing it?"

"No they are not doing it!" Missy says trying to convince herself. Picturing her twin brother having sex is not something she wants to do. " If you are thinking of dating Sheldon. Forget about it! Sheldon and Amy are basically engaged. He bought her a promise ring and everything. Spent almost all the money Daddy left him on it. Besides even if they did break up, you are too stupid for him." Missy tells her laughing.

"I am not stupid!" Kimberly tells her offended.

"Not to a normal person! To a normal person you are so smart. But to Sheldon you are just a monkey in a wig!"

"Is Amy really smart?"

"Are you kidding? Amy is crazy smart, she got into Harvard she is just as smart as Sheldon. Maybe smarter because she's not crazy."

"Where is Sheldon going to college again?"

"Caltech? I don't know some fancy college in California." Missy tells her picking up a People magazine.

"So they will be separated?" Kimberly asks with a little too much glee for Missy's taste.

"Maybe, knowing those two they will find a way."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amy walks into her house and her mother is nowhere to be found. Which is odd she thought after being gone for three days her mother would be outside on the lawn eager to greet her. Amy finds her in the music room playing a dreamy tune and humming to herself.

"I'm home." Amy says walking in the room. Her mother stops playing and spins around on the bench to look at her.

"Amy! The house has been so dreadfully silent without you! I don't know what I am going to do without you when you go to Harvard." Amy fidgets nervously, she still need to tell her mother that she might not be going.

"I missed you too mother." Amy tells her and her mother smiles ,patting the seat beside her. Amy sits down. They sit quietly together as her mother plays through a few songs as if in a trance. Then suddenly she stops and turns to Amy and pats her knee.

"So tell me how was your trip?" and Amy has to force herself not to burst into a giddy smile. Her trip had been wonderful. Her whole life her mother and aunts would tease her and say she had been born thirty five and got older each year. Amy used to agree with them, she never felt like the other kids her age. Never liked the same things they did. This weekend she had felt like a normal seventeen year girl.

Amy wanted to tell her how she had met a celebrity. How she had an epic pillow fight. How even after driving six hours and spending three days in a hotel room together. That she and Sheldon had never run out of things to talk about. How she was more certain than ever she was in love, that she may have found the love of her life. She wanted to talk about what had happened in the shower, and ask what it meant. Amy couldn't tell her mother any of that.

Her mother would have less of an idea about who Wil Wheaton was than she had when she first met him. She would tell Amy that a woman should be meek and mild and pillow fights were unbecoming of a lady. That a lady should hold her tongue and she might bore Sheldon with her idle chatter. That love was something she would know nothing about until she was older. That what happened in the shower was a sin and then lock her in the sin closet until she actually was thirty five. Most of all she couldn't tell because her mother did not know she had been with Sheldon at all.

She and Sheldon had discussed it in the car at length how she should act when she got home. First she should say her travel had been fine if not tad tedious. That once arriving in Jackson she started feeling ill. After suffering a brief but violent bout of stomach flu she still soldiered on to her audition. However her performance was tainted by her illness and she didn't perform her best. That she feared greatly she had not been selected. Sheldon even suggested that she try and cry when recounting the story.

"I've never cried on demand before." Amy told him.

"Nor have, I suppose one would just think of something very sad." He mused. "What's the saddest thing you can think of?"

"The dream I had the night before, when you had to comfort me." She tells him shuddering as she thinks about it.

"You never told me, what was it about?" He asked and Amy sighs and tells him the dream. Afterwards he started laughing and Amy glared him.

"It's not funny Sheldon that dream freaked me out!" Amy yelled at him.

"You weren't trying to be funny?" He asked wiping his eyes.

"No Sheldon, nothing about that is remotely funny to me."

"It's just that it is so ridiculous. I mean how would I come in contact with these girls from your former school? Then even if I were to come in contact with them, I conquer my touch and germ phobias? Amy you are one of the few people I can touch without having a panic attack."

"It was a dream it's not supposed to make sense."

"Exactly, and this one made none. If it makes you cry however use it." He said ending the conversation.

"It was okay, I guess." Amy says miserably trying to work up a tearful sniffle.

"I called the number for the symphony to see how you did. No one ever answers the phone and I left several messages." Amy has to cover her mouth with her hand to hide her grin. Sheldon told her about this little touch of his. The number for the symphony on the invitation was linked to a fake message service he set up. When called it would lead directly to a voicemail for the fake South Jackson junior symphony. When Sheldon lied he was through about it. Before they had left town he put a letter in the mailbox informing her of her rejection and inviting her to try again later. The letter would be post marked from Jackson adding more credence to the elaborate lie.

"I botched it mother." Amy says as she tearfully recounts the stomach bug and the terrible audition.

"Oh Amy! Something like this could have really looked good on your college resume!"

"Mother, I already got into college."

"Yes, but still when you apply for grants and scholarships it would have looked nice." Her mother says stubbornly. Always happy to berate her for her few failures.

"I have a trust, college is paid for." Amy says finding the perfect segue into telling her mother about Caltech. "Actually there is something I have been meaning to discuss with you. You have always told me that my trust was set up so that I could only go to Harvard. I was looking over the papers the other day and that's not true. It says I can go to any college of my choosing."

"Yes, I may have fudged that a bit. It's just that it would have pleased your father so much to see you go to his alma mater. It's a moot point however, you are going to Harvard."

"Actually mother there is something I need to tell you. A couple months ago I was worried I might not get into Harvard. So I put a few applications into other colleges."

"I back up plan is fine. It is always wise to have another option in case your Plan A falls through."

"I am so happy to hear you say that. I got accepted to Caltech as well. I am seriously considering going there instead. It has a great program for the field I plan on going into. The campus is close to Aunt Flo so I could stay with…"

"You only want to go there for that boy!" Her mother wails interrupting her.

"I'm not going to lie and say Sheldon will not be a factor in my decision…"

"You are turning into a little whore! I can't believe you would even consider dishonoring your father's memory. All because you are like a cat in heat! This boy doesn't love you Amy. You are ruining your life for some boy who is incapable of loving you back. His mother told me all about him, all the specialists he has been too. You are a fool."

"Sheldon does love me! He loves me more than you ever have!" Amy yells and her mother slaps her hard across the cheek. In all the abuse she has suffered her mother had never struck her before. Her cheek tingled and she can feel the blood rushing to where the slap occurred. Amy stares at her mother wild eyed in disbelief.

"Amy I am sorry! I never meant…" Her mother stammers covering her mouth with her hand. Amy does not say anything but rushes out of the door crying. She jumps in her car and heads to the only place she feels safe.

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Kimberly had been Missy's best friend since kindergarten. Practically living at the Cooper's house during the weekends and summer. Missy's twin brother Sheldon had always been an annoying nuisance. Sheldon ruined all their games with being a bossy know it all. Once when they were playing school he told them they were doing it wrong. Locked them all in the den and lectured them on loop quantum gravity for an hour. Sometimes she and Missy would chase him down. Tackle him and hug him, he hated being touched and would cry like they were burning him.

For a while she had a crush on Missy's older brother George Jr. Junior was handsome and had the kind of swagger that made all girls fall at his feet. Kimberly had followed him around like a lovesick puppy for a year. Until George finally asked her out for a date. Missy had warned her that he was a dog and not to waste her time. Though she did admit that she would love for things to work out and for them to be real sisters. True to form they went out for a month until she caught him kissing another girl.

It had almost ruined her friendship with Missy. She could barely go over to her house for a long time afraid to run into Junior. After a year she finally got over her broken heart. George acted like they had never dated. He might not even remember that they had dated with the revolving door of girls he went through.

Now her attention was turned towards Missy's other had watched the entire kiss in the car. Pretending to read a magazine as Sheldon pressed his girlfriend against the car window. Watching until the horn sounded and she had to pretend to be just alerted to what was going on. Kimberly did not think she had ever seen any be kissed like that outside of a movie. It wasn't nasty or slobbery, it was hot and sweet. She wanted to be kissed like that more than anything. The romance of having a boy who used to be repulsed by touch kids her like there was no tomorrow. Then after they broke away he still could not get enough. Watching had sent a shiver of longing throughout her body.

After they came in from tanning they went to the kitchen for a diet cokes. Sheldon was sitting at the table telling his mother about the trip.

"Wil Wheaton is my friend now! He signed my Wesley Crusher action figure." He says pulling a doll out of his bag and setting it on the table.

"That's great baby! How did you do that?" Mary asks taking a sip of her drink.

"Amy did it! She met him when she got lost in the convention hall and made him apologize to me. Now I am friends with Wil Wheaton. My friend Wil Wheaton!"

"You owe Amy big." Missy says sitting beside him. "Maybe take her to prom?" Missy asks nudging him

"I already asked her, before she got Wil Wheaton to apologize." Sheldon says dryly.

"You are going to prom! Well sugar you got to tell us these things! We need to rent you a tux, get you new shoes, buy Amy a corsage! What color dress is Amy wearing!" Mary says excited.

"How should I know? I don't need any of that. I can wear the suit I wore to accept my Stephenson award."

"Shelly you have grown four inches since then!" Mary says annoyed.

"Shelly you have got to make this a night for Amy to remember! You can't make her drive you to prom in your too small brown suit." Missy says and Sheldon gets up.

"Now you guys listen here! I know what my girlfriend likes, I don't need your help! Just keep your noses out of this and leave me alone!" He yells storming out of the kitchen.

"Just like Shelly overreacting." Missy sighs.

Kimberly watches as he disappears down the hall. She knows he is headed to the den to watch a movie to distract him from his anger. Over the years he had down this a lot and the movie was always the same. Star Wars Return if the Jedi.

"I'm going to use bathroom." Kimberly tells Missy then she follows Sheldon's path down the hall. As expected she finds him in the den putting his movie on."Watching your little movie she asks walking in the den seductively. Wearing just a pair of jean shorts rolled down at the waist and a bikini top. She sits down next bim on the couch and he does not spare her a glance. It wounds her a little, she thinks she is much cuter than Amy. How any man could choose Amy's mousy self over her is a mystery.

"It's not a little movie, it's the best movie of all time." He snorts crossing his arms and staring at the TV.

"You know what my favorite movie of all time is?" She asks sitting up on her knees facing him.

"I don't care." He answers undeterred she scoots closer to him.

"Romeo and Juliet, you know the one with Leonardo DiCaprio?"

"Unsurprising." He says ,still not looking at her.

"I just think it is so romantic how Romeo kisses Juliet ,ya know?"

"No I don't." He says monotone.

"Kind of like how you were kissing Amy in that car earlier? Like nothing else in the world mattered but you and her. So sexy." She purrs and finally he looks at her shocked. Then she leans in quickly and kisses him on the lips.

"Sheldon?" He hears Amy ask.

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Amy can barely see to drive as she wipes the tears from her eyes. She could walk over to Sheldon's but driving is quicker. Any peels into his driveway and runs to his front door knocking frantically. Missy answers and gives her a hug.

"Heard Shelly finally asked you to prom!" She says beaming at her. Amy nods awkwardly. Missy is so tall that when they hug her face is pressed into her cleavage. Which right now is clad only in a purple bikini top.

"Yes, I am very excited about it." Amy says enthusiastically. Right now prom is the last thing on her mind.

"Amy what's wrong…" Missy asks stepping away and then she sees the bright red handprint on her face. "Amy! What happened?"

"Can I see Sheldon?" She asks and Missy grabs her hand and leads her inside. "Shelly is in the den sulking." Missy tells her opening the door to the den.

Amy sees Sheldon with his hands in the air kissing a girl clad only in a bikini top and shorts. Her heart plummets to her butt. After the most perfect weekend comes the worst day of her life.

"Sheldon?" She asks her heart shattering.

"Kimberly what in the hell are you doing!" Missy yells as Sheldon pushes her down angrily and shouts at her.

"Have you gone mad? Don't you ever put your filthy paws on me again wench!" He yells jumping up off the couch.

"What is going in here?" Mary asks following the yelling to the den.

"I'll tell you! Missy's uncouth friend here is manhandling me. She attacked me without warning." Sheldon says rushing over Amy. "You have to believe me Amy, I did not kiss her she kissed me." Looking into his frightened eyes she can tell that he is telling the truth.

"Okay." she tells him still rattled and then he notices her red cheek and tear stained eyes.

"Amy What happened?" He asks worried.

"Sheldon why don't you show Amy to the washroom. Help her get cleaned up. Kimberly maybe you should go on home now until things get sorted out here." Mary says calmly

"I should be going anyways. It's almost dinnertime." Kimberly says embarrassed rushing out of the door.

Sheldon leads Amy to the bathroom and to Amy's surprise walks in the door with her. He hands her a washcloth then begins to brush his teeth. After he brushes his teeth he gargles with mouth wash. Then repeats the process again.

"Do you have to do this after everytime we kiss?" Amy asks attempting to make a joke. Sheldon does not see the humor.

"I did not kiss her! She placed her disgusting mouth on me! God knows where that mouth has been. It was horrible, first she comes in and interrupts my movie. Sits next to me on the couch practically making me gag with her cloying smell of banana boat tanning oil, sweat, and cigarette smoke. Then outta nowhere she kisses me." He says shaking his head as if trying shake the image out of his head. "Enough about that, what happened to you?" He asks concerned turning his attention to her.

"My mother slapped me." She tells him and he takes the washcloth from her hand and gently places it to her cheek making her wince.

"It's bleeding a little." He says cupping her face in his hands. "Why did she slap you? Does she do that alot?"

"No she has never hit me before. Locked me in the closet ,yes, made me kneel on grits and pray for my sins, yes, hit me before, no. We were talking about me not going to Harvard and she just lost it."

"I would've thought it was because she found out where you really were doing for three days."

"I don't want to know what would happen to me if she found out about that. I would be kneeling on grits until I left for college."

"Why does she have you do that? It sounds messy and wasteful. Is the mushy texture meant to do something?"

"Not cooked grits, uncooked ones. It feels like kneeling on shards of broken glass."

"Hold on." he says lifting her onto the counter of the bathroom. He lifts her up onto the counter and gently lifts her skirt to caress her knee. "Is that what this is?" He asks rubbing her marked knees. Before he had assumed she had an uncharacteristically rough and tumble childhood. Recently he had noticed them red and marked and thought maybe she was playing sports without him.

"Yes." She admits hanging her head. Trying not to feel aroused as his large hands caress her legs and knees. "It hurts so much, that's why I wear tights most of the time. To cover up the scars."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" He asks looking at her like he is angry.

"I was embarrassed." She tells him and he looks at her and shakes his head in disbelief. Then he tilts her chin upwards and kisses her. Gently At first but as Amy winds her arms around his neck and pulls him tighter it gains momentum.

"When I kiss you after you've cried your mouth tastes salty." He says pulling away and brushing her hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry." She says and he kisses her again.

"No need to be sorry I just hate knowing you've been sad. That your sadness has a distinct flavor."

"What does my sadness taste like?" She asks and he kisses her again.

"Once when I was young my family went to the beach. We went on an early morning stroll on the beach to collect seashells. The air smelled of sea salt, ocean life, and damp is what your sadness tastes like. Now when you are happy it is an intoxicating flavor, like apples ripened in the sunshine, and something else I could spend a lifetime contemplating and never place."

"You know most people can't taste the difference between happiness and sadness." She tells him resting her head on his shoulder.

"Most people don't care to know the difference." He says and she wraps her legs and arms around him and kisses him deeply. He presses her against the mirror wrapping his hands around her waist. When Missy walks in the restroom and they break apart.

"Mama sent me in to check on ya'll. But ya'll two seem to be doing just fine." Missy says leaning against the doorframe with a smug smile on her face.

"No thanks to you and your friend." Sheldon says and Missy shakes her head.

"Listen I am really sorry about that. Kimberly is really sweet, and I am sure she did not mean anything by it. Sometimes she just lives life according to movie playing in her head. To make amends how about I take Amy out shopping for her prom dress?"

"Amy doesn't want to be anywhere near you or…" Sheldon starts indignantly.

"Actually Sheldon that sounds like a good idea." Amy says hopping off the counter. There is a lot of things she needs to think about. Some time away from Sheldon and her mother might give her the space to clear her head. So much has happened in such a short span of time. Maybe Missy can answer some questions she has that she can't ask anyone else.

"Come on girl let's go." Missy says walking out of the bathroom and Amy follows her leaving Sheldon a little dazed and confused in the bathroom.

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Amy drives her and Missy to the local mall. Missy drags her into a large department store. Then proceeds to pick out two armfuls worth of dresses. Many Amy would never wear even on her boldest feeling days. More color than she would ever dare try. Some her mother would lock her in the closet and not let her leave.

"Can I ask you something Amy?" Missy asks as she watches Amy try on a strapless black dress.

"Sure." Amy says tugging up the dress and turning around.

"Are you and my brother doing it?"

"Missy!" Amy exclaims shocked. " Why would you ask that!"

"Well ya'll did spend two nights alone together in a hotel. Also you got him to go to prom. Which I know he was dead set against."

"We did not have." And then she whispers "sex." Amy has been wanting to talk about what happened that night to someone. Yet there was no one to turn to. Missy was an option but she was also Sheldon's sister. Amy didn't want to get him into trouble."At least I don't think so."

"You don't think so? I can tell something happened by your face! Come on baby girl spill!"

"Fine I will tell you, but you can't tell anyone. Or use it to get Sheldon into trouble."

"I promise." Missy says eagerly.

"I saw him naked... " Amy begins and Missy interrupts

"On purpose? Or did you walk in on him while he was in the shower or something?" Missy asks.

"He walked in on me while I was in the shower, on purpose."

"But ya'll didn't have sex?"

"We kissed for a long time. While our hands explored each other's bodies. His, well you know? Was pressed against my body. And I touched…" Amy explains nervously.

"I think I've got the picture." Missy says slightly grossed out picturing her brother like that. "You did not have sex, sounds like you got close. Trust me you would know if you did." Missy says helping Amy out of the dress and handing her a new one. This one is long and ice blue with a full skirt.

"Have you done it before?" Amy asks her and Missy shakes her head yes. "My mother always told me that intercourse between a man and woman was dirty and evil. That it should only be done to consummate a marriage or to create a child. That fornication for pleasure was one of the ultimate sins. This didn't feel dirty or sinful. It felt like love, like the ultimate expression of love. I have never felt as loved as I do when I am with Sheldon."

"Sweetie, it is love when you are with the right person. Sheldon loves you so much. If you are ready then it is right. Don't let your mother tell you otherwise." Missy says helping Amy zip up the dress. Amy turns around and Missy gasps. "This is the one! It is perfect!" Amy looks into the mirror and spins around.

"I feel like a princess." She exclaims.

"You look like a princess! You have to get this one. Then we can get Shelly a tux that has the same colors in it." Amy checks the price tag and sighs.

"It is going to have to stay here. I will never be able to afford this. Even if I used all my savings it would only pay for half."

"Ask your momma for the other half." Missy says shrugging and Amy shakes her head.

"Mother does not approve of wasting money on clothes. Mother says vanity is one of the deadliest sins and a woman should not adorn herself."

"Is there anything your mother does approve of?" Missy asks and Amy shakes her head.

"Not much. I've actually never owned a brand new outfit. All my clothes are from yard sales, or hand me downs from my aunts."

"Well that explains alot." Missy says picking up her drab clothing off the floor. "Come on we will find something for you to wear. Even if we have to go to the Goodwill."

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Sheldon peeks into the den and sees his brother eating a bag of Doritos and watching Nascar. He could never understand the fascination with a sport that is just cars driving in an infinite loop. However the sport would have his brother occupied for hours. Giving him enough time to sneak inside his room. Sheldon had been strictly forbidden from entering Juniors room. Not that he had ever had the desire to before.

There was something he was sure he could find in Junior's room that he might need. When he pushes open the door his nose is assaulted with scent of dirty socks, sweat, and old food. Piked on his desk is a teetering tower of dirty dishes. Some with bits of food still attached. It makes him gag and he wonders how someone could live like this.

The walls of his room are covered with pictures of cars. Or of girls not wearing clothing bending over cars. Sheldon finds the posters distasteful and garish. He tries not to look at them as he makes his way to his brothers dresser. He rifles through his sock drawer, horrified to find dirty ones mixed with clean ones and mismatched socks rolled together. He desperately wants to sort it out but then that would alert his brother that he had been in his room. Then his brother would sit on his head and make him eat his farts.

Not finding what he needs in the sock drawer he moves to his bedside table. Inside is a bottle of lotion, a box of tissues and a Magazine filled with woman without clothing kissing each other that makes him blush. Still not finding what he needs he lays on his brother's bed and looks underneath. Finding a old shoebox he pulls it out and opens it up. Inside he finds a baggy of herbs that smell like his uncle. Then he finds his quarry a strip of foil tears of three then pushes the box back under his bed.

"What do you think you are doing?" He hears Junior ask. Panicked he jumps off the bed and shoves the foil strips into his pocket.

"Momma sent me in here to gather your dishes." Sheldon says rushing over to his desk and grabbing a handful of plates.

"Momma is at Memaws right now."

"She told me to do it before she left." He lies his eye twitching.

"Then why were you on my bed and what did you shove in your pocket?" He asks.

"I was looking for more dishes under the bed." Then suddenly Junior is on him in a headlock and digging into his pocket. "Get off of me." Sheldon screams as Junior triumphantly pulls the condoms out of his pocket with a look of glee on his face.

"Oh Shelly! You dog!" Junior yells letting him go and slapping him on the back. "I knew you wouldn't be able to wait with that girl."

"It's not what you think!" Sheldon says miserably as his brother hugs his shoulders. "I just like to be prepared." Be says thinking about the shower and Amy. How close he had come to doing something he might regret. His body kept begging him to do but his mind still had not decided what was right.

"Ain't nothing wrong with Shelly! Hell by the time I was your age I had been with a ton of girls. It's about time you grew a pair."

"I haven't done it yet. It's just that if I decide I want to.. I want to do it right." He says and Junior slaps his back.

"Of course you do! You got any questions about how it works." He asks but before Sheldon can answer Junior starts talking again. "You see you got to please your lady first. You may think you are having fun. But if she ain't having fun, then you ain't either. So what you got to do is…" Junior says raising his hands and starting yo make a humping gesture.

"Please stop! I understand the basic mechanics! As far as pleasing your lady I have already done that so…"

"You gave Amy an orgasm? Way to go! It took me a long time to figure out how to do it but once you get the hang of it. You are golden." Here take the rest of them. He says going under his bed and handing the rest of the condoms to Sheldon. "I can get more."

"Why are you being nice to me?"

"Aren't I always nice?"

"You have always been horrible to me."

"Okay so I have been a bit of a dick to you in the past. But you have been a dick to me too. Acting like you are better than me. Now that you are using your dick maybe we can be friends."

"I don't know about friends. We live very different lives."

"So you want me yo tell mamma ehat you took from my room?"

"Okay we are friends now."

"Good glad to hear you say it. Now there is something I need you to do for me."


	14. To the Moon, and Back

"I won't do it! It is cheating and I won't stand for for it. Besides there is no way we can fool the school like that." Sheldon huffs annoyed at his brother's request.

"It worked in Ferris Bueller." George says stupidly.

"Yes something worked in a movie about a slacker teenage. A movie that was made over ten years ago, is bound to work in real life!" Sheldon says rolling his eyes.

"So you saying it can't be done?" Junior asks leaning over Sheldon's shoulder to what he is typing on the computer.

"It can be done, but I'm not going to do it."

"You saying you can't do it?" He asks.

"Oh please! I broke into the CIA's mainframe from the school's computer when I was seven! This is child's play. What I am saying is that what you are asking me to do is flawed. I can change your grades in the schools computer. That does not however change the school's memory of your teachers record your grades in a ledger. They will know when you come home with straight A's your report card has been tampered with. "

"Please Sheldon! You know I flunked third grade and ninth grade! I don't want to be a 21 year old senior." Junior begs sincerely but Sheldon is unmoved.

"Actually I think at the age of twenty one the school is no longer obligated to teach you." He informs him.

"Sheldon if I don't graduate this year I am screwed. Meemaw won't pay for community college if I get a GED." he pleads.

"Then I suggest that you buckle down and study." Sheldon tells him patting his back awkwardly spinning in his chair.

" After I show Mom your condoms, I suggest you prepare yourself to listen to Mama cry as she prays for your sins."

"Technically I have never had sex and the condoms are yours."

"Technically, she doesn't know that and all of them are in your sock drawer." They stare at each other trying to break each other down until Sheldon breaks.

"Perhaps there is something I could do." he says spinning back around.

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It's dark outside by the time Amy gets back home. Every light in the house is on and somehow the glow from the windows make it seem even more ominous as she pulls in the driveway. She wishes she could turn back around and not go inside at all. It feels like she is walking to her doom as she walks leadenly up the path to her front door. She opens the door cautiously holding her bag from Goodwill against her time her mother is waiting for her on the staircase as she walks in the front door.

"Amy!" She exclaims jumping up and hugging her. "I've been so worried. I went over to Sheldon's house but nobody was home."

"I went shopping with Missy. I bought a Prom dress." Amy says holding out her bag.

"Sheldon asked you to prom that's wonderful. Let's see the dress." She says and Amy knows the fight is over for now. Her mother will never apologize outright. In her mother's opinion an adult can never be wrong over a child.

"I had to get it at Goodwill because I did not have enough money for the dresses in the store. I think it is pretty considering there was not much to choose from." Amy says pulling the dress out of the bag and holding it up. Smiling at her hopefully

"Amy! It is… horrible!" her mother exclaims and Amy's face falls. It was not her first choice but she did not think it was so bad considering the other options in the thrift store. It had her two favorite colors gray and purple.. One half was an iridescent purple, the other was pearl gray. With a wide purple and gray ruffle separating the halves. The sleeves were large and puffy and made of both colors.

"Maybe try it on and see if it gets better/" her mother says and Amy goes to the bathroom and changes into the dress. She comes out and spins around. Then walks towards her mom, waddling in the dresses mermaid style.

"It was not my first choice, but Missy says it is not as bad as the other ones there."

"What did the other ones look like?" her mother grimaces.

"Well one had the stomach cut out…"

"Oh Amy!"

"I did not buy that one!" Amy says annoyed.

"Amy you are not wearing that monstrosity to prom. It is gaudy and completely unbecoming. You look like a streetwalker." her mother says her voice trembling.

"What a surprise you disapprove of something!" Amy shouts.

"You watch your mouth young lady. Or else...!" her mother yells.

"Or else you'll slap me?" Amy asks jutting out her chin.

"Amy can we speak anymore without fighting?" Her mother asks exasperated her voice getting soft.

"Apparently not!" Amy shouts storming up the stairs to her room and slams the door.

Amy throws herself on the bed. The truth was she knew the dress was hideous. Yet it was all she could afford on her allowance. She was to scared to ask her mother for anything. Missy had been so supportive, helping her pick out the best of the worst. At first she had been so excited to go to prom. Now she was thinking about cancelling altogether. No matter what she did she would be made fun of. No matter how hard she tried she would never be normal.

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Dinner at the Cooper's is quiet that night. Normally Sheldon would be happy about it, having a break from the incessant chatter of his family. Time for his busy brain to think of more important things then what Missy did that day. Now however is brain is thinking of nothing he wants to think about. Images Kimberley kissing him, of Amy's disappointed face, the red mark on her face and gouges on her knees, are swirling around. The kiss still grosses him out. He feels like he can still smell the girl's cloying section scent on him. That his mouth still tastes like Amy's tears no matter how fast he shovels in his meatloaf. Then there are the condoms in his sock drawer that feel like they have a pulse of their ow.

"I feel bad for Amy." Missy says suddenly and Sheldon's head snaps up. He does too but it is his girlfriend shouldn't he be the one voicing it?

"Me too! I mean she has to kiss Sheldon." Junior says making kissy lips at him and Sheldon gives him evil eyes.

For Missy's part she could not get over how different their lives had been. Missy had always thought her mother was to strict and too christian. Quoting scripture at her for the smallest infractions. Now she saw what a relaxed heathen Mary was compared to Amy's mom. Her mother may have threatened her with a wooden spoon when she was little but Mary had never struck 's mother dictated Amy's every action even when she wasn't can't get over the hideous excuse for a prom dress she had been forced to buy.

"Why' sugar?" Mary asks kindly.

"Her mom is so mean to her momma! When she showed up at our house today she had a mark on her cheek from where her mother had slapped her!"

"You should see her knees from where her mother makes her kneel on grits to pray." Sheldon adds.

"I bet you got a good close look at her knees." Junior says suggestively and Sheldon starts to panic. He looks around cautiously to see if anyone is curious how he got a gander at her bare legs. However to the rest of the family seeing someone's bare legs is hardly scandalous.

"I did not know that! That is terrible." Mary knew her mother seemed a bit odd when they met. Though she never dreamed that the girl's mother was abusive.

"When I took her dress shopping today she found the prettiest dress. You should have seen her she looked like a princess."

"Oh well that's good." Mary says. "I am sure she will look beautiful."

"But she couldn't buy that one because her mother won't give her money for vanity. She had to use her own money and buy the ugliest dress you have ever seen at Goodwill."

"It can't be that bad Missy." Mary tsks, knowing her daughter's critical eye for fashion.

"Yeah, Sheldon will want to bone her no matter what she wears." Junior laughs winking at him. Sheldon opens his mouth to correct him but his mother just slaps Juniors back.

"Don't be rude Junior! I will not have that talk at the dinner table. You're embarrassing your brother." Mary scolds.

"It's bad, it looks like something from Vanna White's nightmares. The dress is purple and gray with these huge ruffles." Missy demonstrates by bulking out her shoulders like a football player.

"Purple and gray are her two favorite colors." Sheldon supplies helpfully.

"That's why she picked that dress. Those being your favorite colors are fine, but together? On a prom dress?" Missy makes a gagging motion.

"Stop making fun of her!" Sheldon says angrily. "Don't pretend to be her friend then criticizes her fashion."

"I'm not making fun of her Shelly! Every girl deserves to feel like a princess on their prom day! Every girl deserves one magical night. I am just looking out for her."

"May I be excused?" He interrupts getting up from the table. Between Junior and his constant remarks about his sex life. Missy and her constant prom jabber. Sheldon is feeling overwhelmed.

"Sure baby." Mary says as Sheldon stomps down the hall.

"No fair! It is his turn to do dishes tonight." Junior gripes.

"Honey, Shelly is going through a lot right now. Now help your sister clear these dishes." Mary says snapping her fingers at him.

"I'm going through alot right now too." Junior mutters as he begrudgingly clears the table.

Sheldon heads to his room and gets ready for bed. It is still early but after all he has been through today he just wants to go to sleep. Maybe when he wakes up his life will be back to being as uncomplicated as it used to be. When all he just went to school and kept to himself.

Now he had to worry about all sorts of things. Missy's friends attacking him lips first. The elaborate and possibly illegal scheme he was doing to help his brother pass his senior year. Which he would not have to do if not for shiny strips of foil packets hidden under his neatly folded socks. What you used the foil packets for was also weighing heavily on his mind. He was aware that Prom was some sort of milestone. Yet the whole venture was becoming more trouble than it was worth. He thought they would just show up in their church clothes. Dance a few dances together, drink some punch and go home. Now he had to worry about making the night some sort of magical event.

If Amy wasn't in his life he would not have to worry about any of this. He tries to think what his life would be like without her in it and it's unthinkable. She may have complicated his life but she also made it so much better. In his seventeen years of life his happiest memories are the ones with her in them. Thinking of their time together Sheldon falls asleep.

His dream starts out like so many others. He is the science officer on the starship Enterprise. The captain is in danger and it is up to him to take over the captain's chair. A distress signal comes in from another planet. The ship has to go save the stranded crew of a failed mission.

There he finds on of the crew members strikingly lovely. This confuses him he is Vulcan such things should not occur to him. Yet the attraction to this dark haired bespectacled temptress is undeniable. For her he would give up everything and exile himself to the barren planet to be with her. Just as he is about to declare his undying love for her. To forgo Vulcan customs and kiss her she disappears into thin air.

Now he is trapped in a cage. With a group of strange aliens standing over him. Looking at him from behind the bars. He stands up and then he sees the girl tied up and gagged lying on the floor just in front of the bars. They rip off the gag she screams.

"Sheldon!"

Sheldon wakes up with a start, sweat rolling off of him. He never sweats, he hates feeling wet and sticky. Taking it as far as too dusting himself with talcum powder like an old lady to prevent it. The scream had felt to real. Like Amy had really been in his room yelling for help. Then there is a loud knock on his window and he jumps and screams.

"Sheldon!" Then he sees Amy's pale scared face in the window yelling his name. He jumps up and opens the window. The screen prevents her from getting inside so Sheldon knocks it out. Even though his house is a one story the window is still to high up for her to climb in. Amy pulls over the trashcans and uses them to give herself a boost and Sheldon pulls her in the rest of the way.

"Amy what are you doing here?" He asks once she is safely inside his room. Amy is dressed in a long white nightgown. Her feet are bare and he can tell she had been crying again.

"I can't stay there Sheldon." She sobs collapsing into a heap on the ground. She looks so tiny and helpless as she crosses her arms across her knees and lays her head on them. "I am going back to California. I will live with my Aunt."

"What? No!" Sheldon tells her panicked. "Just wait until fall, we will go together."

"I can't Sheldon I am leaving tonight. Then I am going to Harvard. This will be the last time you see me. I am sorry Sheldon." Then she disappears into thin air.

Then he wakes up for real this time drenched in real sweat. He looks at his alarm clock and sees it is only midnight. His hair is wet and plastered against his head. His flannel pajamas are soaked all the way through. He goes to his window and looks outside hoping to see Amy but she is not really there. He peels off his pajamas and sits on his bed in his underwear. If he changes into his Monday pajamas the rotation will be off. Instead he pulls out his old gym clothes from the mandatory class he had to take last year. Worst six months of his life being forced to wear baggy shorts and play sports.

Sheldon tries to lay back down but he can't shake this uneasy feeling. The back to back nightmares had left him shaken. The last one had felt so real he was still trying to convince himself it had been all in his head. The only way to do that was to go see her , right now. Just like in his dream opens the window then he pops out the screen. Jumping the short distance from the window to the ground. He puts on a pair of his brothers flip flops abandoned in the yard and sprints over to Amy's house.

The light in her bedroom is on and he quickly climbs the trellis. In the past twenty minutes his gym clothes have seen more action than all the time he spent in gym class. When he looks in her window she sees her at her desk writing something in a notebook. He taps on the glass and she looks up and smiles. Like she was expecting him to come over. He has to admit it was nice to have someone be happy he was around for once in his life. Amy opens the window and lets him inside.

"I couldn't go sleep without you either." She tells him hugging him tightly around his waist. Sheldon is alarmed to see that her nightgown is the same one from his dream.

"To be fair I fell asleep without you just fine."

"Oh." Amy says sadly.

"I couldn't stay asleep without you." He tells her kissing her hugs him tightly and then she lets him go and notices his odd attire.

"What are you wearing?" She asks tugging on his baggy shirt emblazoned with the school's mascot .

"My old gym clothes."

"Why?" She giggles as he goes to sit on her bed.

"I had a nightmare and my pajamas were soaked with sweat."

"What did you dream? It must have been really scary." Amy asks sitting next to him on her bed. He looks at her and opens his mouth like he wanted to speak then closes it again. "What's going on Sheldon?" Amy asks worried.

"Are you leaving Amy?"

"No of course not, well not until college but you will be leaving too."

"Across the country." He says quietly.

"I haven't decided yet." Amy tells him resting her head on his shoulder.

"I heard you scream my whole dream felt so real." He says shaking his head.

"Whatever you dreamt it's not real. I'm right here." Amy says linking her arms with his and resting her head on him. "I wish you had been here earlier."

"Why?"

"My mom tried to lock my in the sin closet again. I refused and we fought. All we do is fight anymore. We never used to fight."

"It's my fault."

"No, it's not… I am finally standing up to her and she hates it. I used to just do whatever she said. Now I know better. I know it's not right." She says firmly they sit quietly together.

"Amy I am worried that my idea of what Prom is and your differ. I don't want to disappoint you."

"Sheldon I just want to dance one dance with you. In front of the school. I just want to feel normal for one day."

"You are normal."

"No I'm not! And neither are you! But that is why we belong together." She says reaching up to his face and kissing him. Sheldon kisses her back, leaning her gently back on the bed. They kiss softly for a while. Then the kiss gains momentum. Amy gets bold and moves her between them, rubbing him first through his shorts. Then moving her hand under the elastic band to feel him.

"I stole condoms from my brothers room today." He blurts out then goes to kiss her and she removes her hand and stops him. "Why'd you stop?" He asks confused.

"You didn't bring them did you?" Amy asks worried. Amy knew eventually she wanted to give her virginity to Sheldon. When the time was right. The fantasies that played in her head involved meadows full of wildflowers. Where he would take her gently and tenderly in the grass. Of course in that fantasy he was also riding a wild stallion. In her more realistic fantasy they were in a cabin in front of a roaring fire. With candles lit everywhere and soft music playing. Not in her room on her squeaky bed. Terrified that her mother would walk in or hear them.

"No, of course not." He tells her looking at her appraisingly with his soulful blue eyes. Trying to figure her out. Sometimes it felt like she wanted more, then when more was presented she panicked.

"Why did you steal them from your brothers room?" Amy giggles snuggling against his chest.

"I wasn't going to buy them from the store. Just the idea of marching up the counter holding a box is beyond horrifying. I suppose I could have bought some from the gas station bathroom. Those ones also come with something called a Spanish fly. In the end I took the easiest route."

"When do you want to use them?" She asks stroking his chest softly.

"Well not right now obviously. As to when I had not really thought about it. What happened between us this weekend I wasn't planning on. If it goes further I want to be prepared."

"You always think about everything." Amy says yawning

"The alternative would be to think of nothing." He tells her sleepily.

"Are you staying the night?" She asks.

"Do you want me too?"

"Of course I want you too. But it's a school night. "

"Then we will just have to wake up extra early." He tells her leaning over and setting her alarm clock.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This morning was starting out very strange. First Missy had been awoken by her mother bursting in her room asking where Sheldon was. In his bedroom his window was open his bed disheveled and his pajamas abandoned on the floor.

"Oh dear lord he's been kidnapped!" Mary wails picking up is discarded pajamas and clutching them to her chest.

"Who would kidnap a seventeen year old boy? Better yet who would kidnap Sheldon! Mama, as soon as he starts talking, telling them they are kidnapping wrong they will return him." Missy says trying to calm her mother down.

"Sheldon is no ordinary seventeen year old boy! You know that maybe they needed his brain for something."

"Who? The FBI? Aliens? Is the cast of The X-Files coming to get him? There is a perfectly logical explanation. Most likely he snuck out to be with Amy." Missy says and then the phone rings. Mary runs to answer to answer the phone.

"Hello? Sheldon where in the hell are you! Oh I see… Well next time leave a note! Alright love you Shelly."

"Did his mothership come and bring him home?" Missy teases and Mary glares at her putting her hands on her pink fuzzy robe clad hips.

"No, Amy had to do something at the school so she got him extra early. He forgot so he had to get ready really quickly which is why he left a mess."

"And you belive him? Mama, he snuck out."

"Now I have to believe what he is telling me is true. I mean look Missy his Monday clothes are out of the closet. Mary says opening it up and showing her the empty labeled hanger."

"You would rather believe that Sheldon was abducted by aliens. Then believe he is like every other teenager in the world and snuck out to be with his girlfriend."

"This isn't the first time they have left for school early Missy! They, unlike some people, are very dedicated to their school work."

"Fine, he left early to go to school. I got to get ready for school." Missy says rolling her eyes and heading to the bathroom. After she gets ready George drives her to school. When she tells him about Mamas hysterics and refusal to believe Sheldon would do anything bad.

"She better start believing! I got the shit stealing condoms out if my room." Junior tells her laughing.

"So they are doing it now?" Missy asks shocked.

"Nah, he is they ain't and you know how bad he is at lying. Said he just wanted to be prepared."

"That little sneak! Are you going to tell Mama?"

"I ain't no snitch!" Junior says offended. "Besides I got him to do something for me to make it even."

"Good, as much as mama and her blind eye for Shelly annoys me. I got to say I like his little girlfriend. In fact I like her so much I got a little surprised planned for her." Missy says winking at him as they pull up to the school.

"Whatcu gonna do?" Junior asks spitting his tobacco i to a soda bottle as he gets out of the car.

"You'll see."

Missy walks into school searching for her friend Kimberly. Usually Kimberly was waiting for her by the glass doors. Today she was nowhere to be seen. Probably still butthurt or embarrassed by what happened yesterday. Missy hopes so at least she wanted to use that to her advantage. When she finally finds her she is obviously hiding from her.

"Oh Missy! I thought you were going to be late today." Kimberly says.

"No same time as always."

"Listen about yesterday, I'm sorry…"

"No need to be sorry to me. You and I are cool. Besides Sheldon told you off." Missy says smiling.

"I am so glad! I don't know what I was thinking! Brain fart I guess… So we can just move on…"

"Wait, wait… I said you, I, and Sheldon were cool. Now poor Amy who had to walk in and see you kissing her boyfriend?" Missy says shrugging her shoulders.

"Where is she? I will go apologize to her right now. I feel so stupid for what I did. I will tell her just how much Sheldon hated that kiss."

"Actually I had something else in mind." Missy says smiling.

"Like what?" Kimberly asks cautiously.

"You are on the prom committee right? The one that decides the prom King and queen?"

"Yeah…" Kimberley says confused.

"Maybe you could put Sheldon and Amy's name on the ballot?" Missy asks.

"Missy, I don't know…" Kimberly balks.

"Please Kimberly! I am not asking you to make them win. It would just be the highlight of Amy's life to be up on that stage. That poor girl has been through so much. Been teased and bullied her whole life. Something like this would just mean the world to her." Missy begs.

"Alright, consider it done." Kimberly sighs.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Missy says hugging her.

"Now are we cool?" Kimberly jokes.

"Totally." Missy says wrapping her arm around her and walking down the hall with her.

 **Prom is coming up soon! I have a really exciting suprise for the Prom chapter! Stay tuned for it!**

 **Reviews let me know what you like! Thank you for the love!**


	15. Emotions

GhYuAmy sits in her home room class waiting for the morning announcements to come on. Every morning the student council did the announcements on the closed circuit television like a real news broadcast. Most of the time Amy did not pay the fifteen minute broadcast much attention. It was mostly about clubs and extracurriculars she was not involved in.

Today they were announcing the nominees for Prom court. Amy listens as they announce the couples. The three most popular girls in school and their boyfriends, no surprise. Then when they announce the last couple Amy nearly faints.

"Amy Farrah Fowler and Sheldon Cooper!" The girl says in a chirpy voice. "Congratulations to all our couples! Ballots will be passed out next week and the winners announced on prom night."

The girl who has sat next to her all year and never spoken to her turns to her and smiles. Which is odd because the girl has not smiled once all year. Her name was Riley and she mostly she spends her time in home room scowling with her arms crossed. Amy thinks she is terrifying, she always dresses all black and carries a purse shaped like a coffin. The smile looks oddly misplaced on her black lipstick colored lips.

"That's you right? Amy Farrah Fowler?" Riley asks and Amy nods nervously.

"You're dating that tall smart weird kid?" She asks. Amy thinks that she has a lot of nerve calling Sheldon weird but Amy does not say anything.

"Sheldon Cooper , yeah he is my boyfriend."

"I am voting for you guys. I would rather you than those other barbie dolls on there." She says and Amy smiles at her.

"Thank you, though I don't know how I even ended up on the ballot." Amy admits giggling nervously. At first Riley scared her but once you got past the black lipstick there was something warm about her. Amy's mother had been nagging about her finding a girlfriend so she spent less time with Sheldon. Amy would love to see her mother's reaction to Riley.

"It doesn't matter how you got on there. Just that you kick everyone's ass. "

"I have no chance of actually winning." Amy tells her.

"You'd be surprised, I think there is a lot of the school that would love to see someone other than a future stepford wife win Prom Queen." Amy is about to tell her again how slim her chance of winning is when the bell rings. "Bye." Riley says popping up and throwing her messenger bag over her shoulder and bouncing out the walks out the door and finds Sheldon already waiting for her looking agitated.

"Did you hear?" He asks.

"About us being elected to the prom court?" She asks and he nods. "Isn't it exciting!"

"Exciting! Have you gone mad? This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me." He moans.

"How is this the worst thing that has ever happened to you?" She asks as they walk down the hall together.

"How isn't it? Going to prom was one thing. I can't do this Amy." He says desperately and Amy is torn. She understands his anxieties, how hard just going to the dance would be for him. Yet on the other hand this was something she really wanted. Something she never thought would be possible. It seemed like she was always bending to make things easier for him. Without him ever doing the same for her.

"Sheldon I understand stand this is difficult for you but…"

"But what you are still going to force me into a monkey suit and parade me on stage. Make me dance with you in front of the whole school." Sheldon says angrily and Amy is hurt by the coldness in his voice. She was not going to force him to do anything.

"You know what Sheldon, we do stuff you want to do all the time. The one time I want to do something I like it is the end of the world."

"I beg your pardon? It is you who always gets her way!" He says annoyed.

"So I suppose all the times I drive you forty minutes to the good comic book store, that was for me? Or when I drove you six hours to a convention and dressed up for a show I don't watch. That was for me, right?" Amy says her face reddened.

"Amy...I."

"You know what? We just won't go." Amy says walking away from him beyond upset.

Sheldon does not see her the rest of the day. Even during the class they share together her desk is empty. He thinks she must of gone home early. Still he walks to where her car was parked this morning when school lets out. The space is empty and he walks home alone. Of course he still wanted to go with her to the dance. He knew how important it was to her to go. He just did not want to have to go up on stage in front of the entire school. What if he passed out in front of everyone. Embarrassing himself was one thing but embarrassing Amy like that would be horrible. What if it was just a trick? A ruse to get the two of them together in front of the whole school to humiliate them. He had seen the movie Carrie, while he was sure Amy did not have telekinetic powers, as cool as that would be. He did not want to see what would really happen it would crush Amy. Sheldon slams through the door and walks to the kitchen where his mother is drinking a can of Dr. Pepper and reading the newspaper.

"Sheldon what are you doing home? I thought you would be with Amy." Mary asks as Sheldon stomps into the kitchen.

"I thought so as well, but Amy is insisting on being difficult." He says taking a water from the fridge and sitting down at the table with it.

"Did ya'll have a fight?"

"Amy had a fight I was being perfectly reasonable. " Sheldon sniffs.

"Let me be the judge of that. Go on tell me what happened." Mary says sitting down beside him.

"Well on the morning announcements it was revealed that Amy and I were elected to prom court…"

"Oh Shelly! That is wonderful!" Mary exclaims and Sheldon shakes his head.

"You're as bad as Amy! This is not wonderful! It is awful!" Sheldon moans.

"What's awful?" Missy asks as she walks into the kitchen.

"Your brother was elected to prom court and apparently he ain't too happy about it." Mary tells her.

"Why would I be? Being forced onto stage in front if the entire school. How do I know this is not just a ruse to make fun of me again? That when we get on stage they are going to humiliate us?"

"It ain't a trick Shelly."Missy tells him.

"You can't know that for sure." Sheldon protests.

"I can because I am the one who elected you." Missy tells him smugly.

"Why on earth would you do that?" Sheldon says angrily. "You know how uncomfortable I am with things like this."

"Sheldon , for once this ain't about you." Missy tells him

"Now calm down Shelly! This is a good thing. Think about how pretty Amy will look on stage. Ya'll will get your picture taken…" Mary says but Sheldon jumps up and interrupts her.

"If you think that is helping, it's not." He says storming off.

"He better not ruin this for her." Missy complains.

"Oh he'll turn around. You know how he is always making a fuss. Your daddy always said you got to take your time with Shelly. Just leave him be and he will sort it out for himself." Mary assures her.

"It's just Amy has gone through so much. I just wanted her to have the whole experience before she goes to college in the fall. I mean I've at least got until next year. For her this is it"

"Speaking of which are you going to prom this year? Are we needing to buy you a dress?" Mary asks and Missy shakes her head.

"I'm just going with a big group of girls this year. I'm not really seeing anyone special right now. So I'll probably just wear one of my pageant dresses. No one will know the difference anyways. I would offer one to Amy but I think we sold the ones that would fit her."

"Well that's one less thing I have to buy." Then Mary looks like an idea just struck her.

"What?" Asks recognizing the look on her mother's face.

"Oh nothing, just that if I don't have to buy you a dress… I might have some extra money to throw around." Mary muses.

"You can buy me something else if it makes you feel better." Missy laughs.

"Or someone else something… " Mary muses and Missy catches on.

"You want to buy Amy that dress don't you?" But Mary remains tightlipped.

You know I don't feel much like cooking tonight. What do you say we go to the mall and eat at that restaurant your brother likes so much."

"Sure." Missy agrees, they hardly ever eat out.

"Go tell your brothers and see if Sheldon wants to invite Amy along. We might as well call Memaw see if she wants to come too." Mary says going to the phone.

Missy gets up to tell her brothers. George is in the den watching TV, he tells her does'nt want to go. Missy doesn't blame him going out to eat with Sheldon was a chore. She was always afraid the waitress was going to spit in their food. When Missy knocks on Sheldon's door he yells for her to come in.

"I will still take her to prom. No need to come yell at me." He grumbles sitting on his floor playing a video game.

"I know you are because if you backed out we would go a round like when we was little." Missy informs him sitting on the ground next to him.

"There will be no need violence. I will call her tonight and make amends."

"How about you call her now. Mama wants to go out for dinner and she wants you to invite Amy too."

"Why?" He asks pausing the game.

"You going to argue about going to Applebee's?" Missy asks him raising her eyebrows.

"I'll go call her." He says getting up

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amy knew she was silly for leaving school early after her fight with Sheldon. It was more than just that though. It was the excitement and stress of being elected to prom court. It was the tiny fights she and Sheldon kept having. The fights she kept having with her mother over Sheldon. The fight she knows will ensue when she tells her officially that she is going to Caltech this fall. Her decision had been made, not just for Sheldon but because it was the right choice.

Caltech had all the programs she for what she planned to study. She was from California so there would be no adjusting on that end. It was a prestigious school that anyone would be proud to attend. Also it had Sheldon, and the thought of being so far away from him was unfathomable. They could try long distance but eventually schedules and distance would tear them apart. This way even if they did break up. Even if it was not a fairy tale meant to be. She would never blame herself for not trying. Something inside her, something she could not explain, told her this was the right choice. Maybe that is why she got so upset earlier. Sheldon had no idea how much she was doing for him.

When the phone rings at four she knows it is Sheldon. She feels bad now for leaving without telling him. Things like that really threw him for a loop. Yet another case of her storming off because she was to afraid to tell him how she felt. She would tell him now, lay her heart on the line.

"Sheldon I am sorry." She says as she answers the phone.

"Do you want to come to dinner with me? My mom is taking everyone to Applebee's and wants to know if you want to come as well." He asks her and Amy is confused. He does not sound angry with her. In fact he seems ready to forget everything that happened earlier.

"Sure I would love too. I will just leave my mother a note." She tells him.

"Excellent, my mother will pick you up in about twenty minutes." He says and then he disconnects abruptly. Leaving Amy wondering if maybe he is still mad at her. Amy changes her clothes to her favorite dress and waits outside. Sheldon's mom pulls up in their beige minivan and Amy gets inside. Sitting next to Sheldon in the back bench seat. After they pick up Sheldon's Memaw at her house the conversation in the car becomes very loud and hard to follow. Mary, Missy and Memaw volley verbally of each other like ping pong balls. Sheldon looks at her apologetically and makes the talking gesture with his hand and shrugs his shoulders.

"You see why I don't talk much. I can never get a word in." Sheldon whispers in her ear and she giggles. Sheldon thought he did not talk much and that was funny. Sheldon talked more than anyone she had ever met.

"Do they always fight so much?" She whispers back.

"Oh this isn't fighting. This is just how they talk." He tells her as the van erupts into a loud cackle.

"Look at ya'll love birds back there! Ain't y'all just the sweetest." Memaw exclaims twisting around in her seat to look at scoots away from her and stares out the window embarrassed by the attention.

At dinner the dizzying swirl of conversation continues. When Memaw hears about their election to prom court she is over the moon. Amy is surprised that Sheldon does not try to dampen her enthusiasm. Instead he politely agrees to stop by her house on tbe way so she can take pictures of them underneath her arbor which should be in full bloom in two weeks just in time for prom. After dinner Amy expects they will go back home but is surprised when they walk out into the mall.

"Now Sheldon you can go on ahead to the comic book store. I know you ain't going to let us come here without going. Missy, Meemaw and I have a bit of shopping to do. We don't need you hanging around fussing at us.

"You don't have to tell me twice. Come on Amy." Sheldon says as they walk out of the restaurant. Amy goes to follow him but Mary stops them.

"Hold on! I think Amy would rather stay with the ladies. Ain't that right Amy?" Memaw asks her and Amy smiles politely. She would much rather go to the comic book store with Sheldon. After their small fight earlier she wants to stick close to Sheldon. Also Amy felt a little out of the loop around them. Yet she could tell that there was no getting out of this one. When Memaw asked you to go somewhere you went.

"Sure." Amy says.

"See there Shelly! Now you just run along and then meet us back inside Dillard's in thirty minutes." Mary tells him . Amy starts that is the store with her dream dress. Half of her wants to go visit it again. Half of her thinks it would be best not to see the dress and have to leave it again. Knowing that she will be in the stage now she really hates the dress hanging in her closet.

"Alright sounds agreeable to me. Have fun Amy." He says patting her back and then he bounds off in the opposite direction.

"Come on ladies were losing daylight." Mary says marching them across the mall.

When they reach the store Memaw says she has to get a new teapot. Yet they walk past housewares and into the juniors section. Then as Mary makes a beeline for the prom dresses Amy sees what the real purpose of their visit is.

"Missy are you getting a dress?" Amy asks her, she thought Missy told her she was wearing an old dress.

"I might." Missy says nonchalantly ." Ooh Amy here's your dress." Missy says holding up the gorgeous ice blue dress that has been haunting her dreams.

"If only it really was my dress." Amy sighs feeling the taffeta and tulle material of the dress between her fingers. After her fight with her mother over her thrift shop dress she had told her about this one. Then her mother scolded her again about vanity and remaining humble. How spoiling a child with extravagant gifts was wrong and lead to other spoiled behavior. Then she suggested she wear her dress she bought her for the dance she never attended.

"Ain't that just the purtiest thang you've ever seen." Mary says looking at tbe dress. "You would look like an angel in that."

"Well let's go try it on!" Memaw tells her grabbing the dress and tugging Amy towards the dressing rooms.

"Wait that's not my size." Amy says grabbing the correct size and heading to the dressing room. When she gets the dress on she wants to cry. Sheldon was right this prom court thing was a bad idea. All the other girls would be in dresses like this. Ones with fitted bodices and full skirts that would sparkle. Then there would be her in her dress Missy had so sweetly called her frankendress.

"You done in there sugar?" Mary asks knocking on the door.

"Just a moment." Amy calls wiping her eyes and stepping out of the dressing room. She walks out slowly nervous for Sheldon's family to see her.

"Amy don't you look pretty as a picture!" Memaw says clapping her hands. "You have to wear that when you and Shelly win King and Queen."

"We probably won't win and there is no way I can afford this dress." Amy says and Memaw waves her hands at her.

"You won't win with an attitude like that!" Mary tells her and with a dress like that you would be sure to win.

"Actually, the voting is done beforehand and besides I could never afford this dress."

"Well how much is it?" Memaw asks.

"Almost 250.00."

"How much you got?" Mary asks.

"I have 80.00 from my tutoring. Even if I took on another pupil, I wouldn't have enough in time for prom."

"How about I pitch in some and Memaw pitches in some then you ought to have enough to get it."

"I couldn't ask you to do that." Amy says embarrassed. She did not want to feel like a charity case. If her own mother wanted to, she could easily afford the dress. More than Mary could being a widowed mother of three teenagers.

"Honey, you ain't asking, we're telling! We are buying you this dress and that's that." Memaw says patting her back.

"Thank you so much. I don't know how I will ever repay you." Amy tells them.

"Baby girl, you repay us just by being there for our Shelly, we ain't never seen our boy like he is with you. Especially after his daddy died. It feels like you gave us our boy back."Mary tells her trying not to tear up.

"You don't mind Missy?" Amy asks her. Hoping she won't be mad at her.

"Mind? It was mostly my idea!" Missy says hugging her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sheldon wants to argue with his Memaw that Amy should go with him. Going to the comic book store with Amy was one of his favorite things to do. Even though his fascination with superheroes baffled her. It was still fun to explain each one's merits to her and listen to her logical argument about it. Also though he would never admit it to her, being one of the few regulars with a girlfriend gave him a certain prestige. Sheldon was proud to walk into the shop with Amy on his arm.

After their spat today he was especially eager to be reunited with Amy. He can't even enjoy the new issue of Batman, worrying about her. He pays for the comic book and heads to the department store he had been instructed meet them at. At first he is dismayed by its large size , he fears he will never find them. He never goes into stores lije this if he can help it. He does not even pick out his own clothes. His mother just buys him things she thinks he will like and will fit.

Not knowing where they will be he goes to the woman's clothing section. Figuring that will be the most likely place for them to be. He is not disappointed and soon hears his mother's telltale laugh. He could be in a sea of people and always know where his mother was if she laughed. He follows the sound to the junior Miss section where he finds his family and Amy standing in front of a three way mirror. He is about to make his presence known but he hangs back a second watching them from behind a pillar.

Amy is wearing a long blue dress, she looks beautiful. He always thinks that is beautiful but right now she looks ethereal, like she does not even belong in this world. Sometimes he doesn't understand how he found her. As great as he thinks he is,most people's opinion is vastly different from his own. Amy loves him, even though he is weird, and particular,she accepts him for everything he is. The words she said earlier echo through his head. Amy did so much for him, made him so happy and he rarely returned the favor. Instead of making his presence known he sits on the bench just outside of the women's section and waits for them to be done. Thinking of a way to show her how much she means to him.

 **Prom is almost here! Next Saturday the big day will finally come! Along with a big surprise… Are you ready? To celebrate prom and reaching 200 reviews RGBCN will be illustrating a part from the chapter for me! Check out her IG account starting monday to get sneak peaks of the progress.**


	16. Truly, Madly, Deeply

Thank you so much Cutelittlelumpofwool82 for making this happen,for edititing this, for being my best friend for more than a year! I love you! Silencekeeper you are so awesome! Thank you rgbcn for your amazing drawings thst took my vision to life!

Amy sits in the chair in front of Missy's vanity still as a statue. Missy is applying the finishing touches on her makeup. The mirror is covered up and Missy won't let her see herself until she has finished her work. The entire time she has been chatting in a steady stream that Amy can hardly keep up with. Mostly about what to expect at prom, who is dating who. How the ride in the limo will be awkward because couple broke up and are now bringing other people.

"I am glad I won't be in that car then." Amy says making polite conversation.

"You know you can ride in the limo with me and my friends, right?" Missy asks Amy "There is plenty of room. You don't have to drive to your own prom." It had been bothering Missy that Amy would have to drive herself and Sheldon to prom.

"I don't mind." Amy tells her. "If Sheldon starts feeling overwhelmed I want to be able to leave quickly. If he feels like he is stuck there, it will just make it worse. Being in a limo with six other people would be unbearable to him." Amy says honestly. She had not been fishing for an invite.

"If Sheldon were my date. I would be forcing him in that limo whether he liked it or not." Missy laughs. "You really understand him… I try and try to understand him but I just can't."

"I feel bad enough I am making him take me to prom. I can at least make everything else easier for him." Amy sighs.

"Well Sheldon should be thanking his lucky stars he GETS to take you to prom." Missy tells her picking up a curling iron and starting on Amy's hair.

"Don't even bother trying to curl my hair. The curl won't last long enough to even take a picture of it." Amy tells her sadly

"You underestimate my powers." Missy tells her. "Give me a couple cans of aquanet and I can do anything. When I used to do beauty pageants I learned all sorts of tricks." Missy tells her brushing out her hair. "I am going to make you look amazing, just you wait and see."

"Fine, I succumb to your wishes." Amy says feeling like a life sized Barbie doll. Already today she had been to the nail salon where she had her very first manicure. She could not help but keep staring at her glossy french tipped fingers. There was much more to getting ready for prom than Amy even imagined.

When she had come home with the dress that Mary and Meemaw had purchased her mother had been horrified at first. Giving her the speech about not accepting charity. Amy assured her that she would be paying the dress off by tutoring Sheldon's brother. They had tried letting Sheldon help him, but it always ended up with Sheldon insulting George and George beating up Sheldon. Since the dress was not a gift, and an early form of payment for services her mother felt much better. Much to Amy's surprise her mother had been on board with much of the prom preparations. Even giving her the money to get her nails done. A luxury that she normally would never approve of.

"Alright miss thang! You ready to see yourself?" Missy asks as she finishes her hair.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Amy tells her nervously as Missy pulls the blanket off the mirror. "Omigosh!" Amy says staring at herself in the mirror.

"What do you think?" Missy asks.

"I think I am going to cry." Amy tells her.

"Whatever you do don't cry! You will ruin two hours worth of work." Missy tells her hugging her shoulders.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

"Shelly hold still while I fix your bowtie." Mary fusses at him as she unties the bow tie for the third time. "Now we got Amy's corsage in the fridge along with your boutonniere." She reminds him and he sighs. He hated being messed with and for the better part of an hour his mother had been fussing with him.

"You seem to have everything covered perhaps you would like to go to prom in my stead?" He says only half joking. The more he thought about the dance the more he wanted to lock himself in his room and not come out. What had he been thinking agreeing to go to this nonsense willingly? If it could be just he and Amy dancing alone he would be fine, but there was all the rest of his classmates. The thought of all those bodies in one confined space was starting to make him feel light headed.

"What's wrong Shelly bean?" Mary says sensing the anxiety rising in her son.

"I don't think I can do this… I know I promised Amy… But Oh dear." He says sitting on the edge of his bed with his face in his hands. "It was one thing when it was just an abstract thought of a dance. Now it is too real. There is too much pressure."

"You are going to have the time of your life! Just you wait and see!" Mary exclaims and he shakes his head. "Think of it this way Shelly, You have the rest of your life to be a serious, studious old fuddy duddy. You may only have a few more months at most to be with Amy. Believe me Shelly this will be a night Amy will remember the rest of her life. Make it a good one for her, okay?" Mary implores and Sheldon looks stricken.

"What do you mean a few more months to be with Amy?" He asks looking up at her from between his fingers.

"Well I just know you are going off to college and Amy is going off to college. I know ya'll will make it work somehow, but it also does not hurt to appreciate her while you still got her." Mary says winking at him. Sheldon had not told his mother that Amy could be going to Caltech with him. Not that it mattered anyway, he had made up his mind to tell Amy to go to Harvard. After all the things she had done for him the least he could do was not hold her back.

"I suppose you are right." He agrees.

"You are darn straight, I am right.. now wait until you see Amy! You two will look so good as Prom King and Queen!" Mary tells him.

"That is another thing! What are the duties of a Prom King? Will I be asked to make a speech if I win? Mother you know I have a fear of public speaking." He says starting to panic again when Missy walks into the room.

"Amy is almost ready! Are you ready Sheldon?" She asks and he shakes his head.

"No I am not ready! I can't do this!" He says putting his head between his knees.

"What is he going on about?" Missy moans.

"He is worried that he will have to give a speech if he wins Prom King." Mary sighs and Missy rolls her eyes and plops next to Sheldon.

"Listen Sheldon, you ain't going to make a speech, or even go on stage at all. Only the winners got on stage and you ain't going to win."

"How do you know, I'm not going to win?" Sheldon asks annoyed.

"Think about it Shelly. The kids who vote are the same kids you have spent years being teased and being beaten up by! They ain't going to vote for you!"

"Missy!" Mary says appalled at her daughter's attempt to comfort her brother.

"You promise I won't win and have to give a speech?" Sheldon asks.

"Even if by some crazy miracle you did somehow win you don't make a speech. You just go up on stage and take your crown, dance one dance with Amy and then that's it."

"Thank you, that does make me feel better." He tells her.

"Good! I am going to get Amy and when I knock on the door you come out and see her." Missy says popping up and racing out the door.

"Amy looks like a vision in her dress, just wait until you see her." Mary says grabbing his arm and hauling him up. Sheldon wants to tell her that he did see her. That he saw her at the department store, and she was right, she was a vision. Before he can get the words out there is a knock on the door. He licks his lips nervously, once he sees her there will be going back. His mother opens the door for him and he steps out nervously. He is annoyed to see just Missy standing there.

"Where's Amy?" He asks and Missy steps aside to reveal Amy.

Sheldon starts to feel light headed again as Amy emerges from behind his sister. He had seen her in the dress from a distance, but up close she looked like a drawing from the fairytale books his mother used to read him when he was sick. Even more breathtaking than Cinderella or Princess Punchali.

"Here she is! Doesn't she look beautiful?" Missy asks and Amy looks up at him hopefully. He wants to say something… Anything but his throat feels thick like he just swallowed cement.

As if in a trance Amy is drawn to him, her dress made her feel like a princess and Sheldon was the embodiment of a handsome prince tonight.

"Hoo!" Amy blurts out while blushing furiously.

"You look so handsome, Sheldon." Amy tells him cheeks still burning she smiles at him and he nods weakly and manages to squeak out a thank you.

"Come on you two we better get going to Meemaws to take pictures while it's still light out." Mary says leading the charge down the hall.

They drive the short distance to Meemaws house to take pictures in her garden. Sheldon does not think that he has had his picture taken so many times in his life. He begins to wonder if his mother is fearful that she will forget what he looks like. They take pictures of him giving Amy the corsage, they take pictures of her putting on his boutonnier. It is all very exhausting and the event has not even started yet.

They make Amy stand in front of him and have him wrap his arms around her waist as they stand in front of the flower arch. Amy tilts her neck up to whisper to him and she is so small he has to lean down to hear her.

"This is our last picture tonight I promise. Thank you for doing this." She whispers in his ear.

"Oh, it's not so bad." He whispers back to her enjoying the way her silk covered body feels under his hands. How her warm breath tickles his neck.

"That is adorable! Stay like that!" Mary yells snapping a picture of them staring adoringly into each other's eyes.

"Alright that was the last one!" Amy yells breaking away from Sheldon. "We got to get a move on!" She says tugging Sheldon with her.

"Just a few more!" Meemaw yells.

"You heard her, we have to go." Sheldon says and they continue taking pictures even as they climb into Amy's car.

Amy drives them to the hotel and they park the car. Sheldon takes her by the elbow like a gentleman and walks her into the ballroom. The ballroom is completely transformed and is absolutely beautiful. There is a arching staircase that looks like the entrance to a castle. The streamers are silver and ice blue almost the same color as her dress.

"Once Upon a Dream." Sheldon reads the banner then gives her a stern look. "Did you help in planning this?" He asks suspiciously.

"Of course not!" Amy giggles. "The decor's similarity to my attire is purely coincidental." Amy watches a line of couples waiting to get their picture taken by the castle."

"You want to get our picture taken?" He asks her leading her over to the couples.

"We don't have to." Amy says not wanting to force him into anything.

"Amy we are already here, if you want to get our picture taken by the castle we might as well do it."

"Well if you insist." Amy giggles joining the line of couples. The photographer makes them pose similar to what Sheldon's mother had. Amy in front and Sheldon's arms around her. Only they make Amy stand on a soapbox so that he can get both of them in the frame.

"What shall we do next?" Sheldon asks nervously eyeing the dance floor that is already filling up with bodies.

"Why don't we just find a table and sit down for a while." Amy tells him and he looks grateful as they head to a small table covered with a shiny blue table cloth and covered in confetti shaped like stars and castles.

"Did you know the singular of confetti is confetto?" Sheldon asks her picking up a castle confetto and handing it to her.

"That is an amusing factoid. Did you know that prom came from the word…"

"Promenade, meaning a stroll or walk, especially in a public place, as for pleasure or display." Sheldon finishes and she beams at him.

"Is there anything that you don't know?" She says lovingly and he grins at her.

"None that I will admit to." He says winking and she giggles and the song changes to a loud raucous one. The couples on the dance floor start dancing suggestively. Grinding against each other in a way that makes Amy blush.

"I bet you don't know the name of this song?" Amy teases him.

"I most certainly do not." He agrees.

"Pony by Ginuwine… Your sister made me listen to it while we were getting ready." Amy tells him and he looks at her with a bewildered expression.

"You don't want to dance like that.. Do you?" He asks nervously and Amy almost laughs out loud. Even if she did, which she didn't, she could never picture Sheldon pulling a Patrick swayze out on the dance floor. All she wanted was one slow dance and that was enough for her.

"Of course not!" Amy says.

"Oh thank god!" Sheldon says relieved. "Let me go get us some punch." He says getting up and racing away.

The rest of the night passes pleasantly but is a little boring. Until Missy arrives with her friends and drags Amy out to the dance floor. Amy dances to a fast song with Missy who shows her the newest dance moves. By the end of the song she is breathless and giggling. Amy tries to get away but Missy makes her stay.

"Come on Amy! You are having fun! You can't let my brother trap you at a table all night." Missy says. Amy does agree that it has been fun being with Missy out on the dance floor so she agrees to stay one more song. Amy gets so lost in the music she does not realize that Missy has moved away and the person dancing next to her is not Missy, but the boy from the party that she gave a bloody nose too.

"Hey remember me?" He asks grabbing her by waist.

"Let me go." Amy yells attempting to squirm away.

"Where is your genius boyfriend?" He asks holding her tightly against his body and grinding against her.

"He is here, and he won't like this." Amy says trying to break away but he is just too strong.

"Remember when you broke my nose?" He whispers in her ear and his breath smells like smoke and stale beer.

"I will do it again!" Amy tells him trying to maneuver her elbow upwards but before she can she hears Sheldon's deep voice.

"May I cut in?" He asks but his voice has a hint of a threat to it.

"Get lost loser." Matt says and Sheldon gives him a look that would make anyone back off. Then he pushes him backwards.

"I suggest you get lost." Sheldon says and something about the way he looks makes Matt back off immediately.

"Whatever, you two nerds aren't worth it." He says walking away. Sheldon wraps Amy in his arms and she rests on his chest grateful for his appearance.

"Thank you." She murmurs as they sway in a slow dance that does not match the music.

"I am sorry you had to see me in a display of male dominance like that."

"Don't be sorry." Amy tells him then blushes as she adds. "I like it, when you act like a bad boy." He looks at her a shocked but pleased. No one has ever accused him of being a bad boy before.

"Hardly, a bad boy but I see your point."

"Do you want to go now?" Amy asks him.

"So early? We have not even heard who got Prom King and Queen yet." He tells her and she shakes her head.

"It doesn't matter we aren't going to win anyways. All I wanted was to dress up and dance one slow dance with you. Which we are doing now, so now we can go." Amy tells him.

"Oh this does not count. The music is all wrong even I know that." He says resting his chin on her head. "Don't let that moron scare you away. We can still have a good time."

"I am suprised you want to stay." Amy says and he just shrugs his shoulders. Amy is about to state her case again when the DJ stops the music and the entire room stops and looks at the stage.

"Alright everybody! Is everyone having a great time?" The DJ asks and the crowd erupts into a loud cheer. "Now I know everyone has been waiting for the big announcement. Who wants to hear who this year's King and Queen of prom?!" The crowd cheers again and Sheldon looks down at her and smiles.

"See waiting was a good thing." He tells her.

"You want to win don't you?" She asks him slyly and he smiles shyly.

"I don't really deal well with losing." he admits ducking his head. "There have not been many things I have tried to win that I have failed at." The DJ introduces the couples shining a spotlight on each one as he says their name. Amy squints into the light.

"Alright, everyone the moment everyone has been waiting for is finally here. Time to announce the winners of this year's King and Queen." The crowd erupts into cheers and the DJ waits for it to die down before continuing. "Will all the couples please join me on stage."

"Missy told me only the winners went on stage." Sheldon says nervously taking Amy's hand and heading for the stage.

"She was probably lying, were you freaking out at the time?" Amy asks and he ducks his head.

"Maybe, just a little." He mumbles. "It's just I have a small fear of public speaking. Being on stage in front of all these people makes me nervous."

"I thought you wanted to win?" She says raising her eyebrows at him.

"Can't I both want to win and not go on stage at the same time?" He whispers to her as they climb the stairs of the stage and stand beside the other couples.

"Valid point." She agrees.

Then she looks at the other couples on stage and knows for sure that they aren't going to win. The other couples there are the beautiful people. The kind of kids who would have tortured her relentlessly at her old school. Then it strikes her that she does not know a single one of them. That since she moved to Texas she had been so wrapped up in school and Sheldon that she had not noticed anything else.

Amy had no idea who the most popular girl in school was. Who was dating who. At her old school she would have been following the comings and goings of these people like some people followed celebrities. It had been the best year of her life so far and she knew it was because of him. Amy no longer cared what everyone else thought about her. Or trying to make friends with girls who looked down on her. With Sheldon by her side all the small stuff she used to worry about didn't matter. They had each other to rely on.

Amy feels like grabbing the DJ's microphone and making an impassioned speech about it. To tell the other kids out there not to get wrapped up in things that don't matter. That if they felt like no one would ever care about them. That no one liked them. That they were wrong. That even if they felt lost and lonely, they would not stay that way for long. There was someone or something out there for everyone she was sure of it. You just had to open your eyes and look. Who won Prom King and Queen didn't matter. It was just a popularity contest, that once they were out of high school popularity would not matter. Then as she is forming the last part of her speech in her head, she hears her name being called and she snaps out of her reverie.

"Amy!" Sheldon hisses tugging her forward. "Wake up, we won!"

"We won!" She asks confused as he tugs her towards the microphone where the DJ is standing. There are two crowns sitting on pillows.

"Ladies and Gentlemen your Prom King and Queen, and your co-valedictorians, Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler." He announces and everyone claps and cheers as he puts the crowns on their heads.

"Actually, I am the salutatorian, Sheldon beat me by this much." Amy laughs holding out her fingers to indicate the slight margin Sheldon beat her for number one in the class ranking. Which Amy blamed on her gym grade. Sheldon had somehow wiggled his way out of having to take high school gym at all.

"The suggestion I would have to share Valedictorian is ridiculous. Also I would like to point out this title I have received is ill named. Kings are not elected, a monarchy is a system born from birth right. Though some may argue it, I was not born to be Prom King. It should be prom president and his first lady if we are being elected to the position."

"Women don't have to be relegated to just the role of first lady. We could be prom president and vice president." Amy points out.

"Ladies and gentlemen this is what happens when the two smartest kids in school win." The DJ jokes and the crowd laughs. "Do you two want your crowns or not?"

"We want them." Sheldon tells him. "I was just pointing out some flaws in the system."

"Put it on me! Put it on me! Put it on me!" Amy squeals as he picks up her tiara and places it on her head making the crowd laugh again. Sheldon ducks his head down to have is crown put on. They stand hand in hand facing the crowd and everyone claps for them as they are officially announced as King and Queen.

"Now your King and Queen will dance the first slow dance of the night." The DJ announces as the lights turn down and a spotlight shines in the middle of the dance floor.

"Well we won, your winning streak continues." Amy tells Sheldon as they stop in the middle of the dance floor. She places her hands on his shoulders and he looks at her with a cocky grin.

"Sheldon Cooper does not lose. Like I said if there is an award I am up for I will win it." He says and he grabs her hand. Sheldon puts his hands around her waist and starts moving her to the music. "I won you over." He says making her blush.

"I love this song." Amy coos

"I've never heard it before, the melody is nice." He says as they move to the music.

"You know what's funny? Remember the night you climbed into my window for the first time?" Amy asks.

"I remember everything, eidetic memory." He reminds her.

"You caught me wearing my headphones and crying?" She says and he looks down at her.

"You said you were crying because you thought I would not want to be your friend anymore." He recalls and she shakes her head.

"I was listening to this song. Crying because I thought it described how I felt about you. 'I knew I loved you before I met you, I think I dreamed you into life.' I suspect the song was selected because of the prom's theme. It is uncanny though, sorry that was maudlin and cheesy." She tells him and he is looking down at her with a look she has never seen before.

"No not at all, it describes how I feel about you as well. I did not know how much I needed you, before I met you." He tells her and she stands on her tiptoes to kiss him. He kisses her back softly and the spell is broken when the DJ speaks into the microphone.

"Aren't they sweet! Alright everyone else can now join them on the dance floor." The couples start moving to the dance floor to join them for the rest of the song. When the song is over they make their way back to the table they were sitting at. Missy comes over and congratulates them both giving each of them a huge hug.

"You won! I knew ya'll would! Kimberly told me yesterday, do you know how hard that was for me to keep a secret?!" Missy exclaims sitting at their table.

"You lied to me!" Sheldon says with mock anger. "You told me there was no way I could win."

"If I had told you that you had won you would have chickened out and locked yourself in your bedroom." Missy teases him. "Listen, prom is getting pretty lame. A bunch of us are heading out to Meemaws cabin by the lake, you two want to come?"

"Does Meemaw know…"

"Yes Sheldon! Meemaw said we could, she gave me the keys herself. She said she would rather us be safe there than gallivanting all around town."

"Sounds fun, my mother gave me a pretty late curfew for tonight. I can stay out until midnight and it is only nine o'clock now." Amy says and Sheldon rolls his eyes but agrees to go.

"Fine, I guess we can go. This way I can supervise and make sure you don't burn her cabin down." Sheldon agrees.

"Awesome! Sheldon can tell you how to get there, okay Amy?" Missy says getting up and they follow her out.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It was getting late and Amy knew that the night was coming to a close. It was a shame the night had to end, that she would have to go back to reality tomorrow. Tonight had been perfect, she had felt she was living a fairytale.

They sit on top of the picnic table outside the cabin, Sheldon's arm around her keeping her warm. Proving to be a true gentleman once again he offered her his jacket. Amy was afraid to speak and break the spell of the evening. She looks up at him, he's still wearing his crown and the moonlight glints off the shiny plastic making him almost glow. He looks so handsome, beautiful even, so much so she can't tear her eyes away from him.

"What?" He asks breaking the silence, smiling at her.

"Nothing, just enjoying the view." She teases him kissing his cheek.

"I would argue that my view is much better." He tells her kissing her softly. "Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"No actually, I believe I rendered you speechless" She laughs.

"That you did." He murmurs then he looks at her seriously. " Amy I have been thinking about what you said the other day about all the stuff you do for me. How you don't ask for much in return."

"Sheldon, that was weeks ago, I was angry don't worry about it." Amy tells him wondering why he is bringing this up when they have had such a great night.

"I know but it is true. So I have decided to do something for you. I know you have been torn between Caltech and Harvard. I also know that you and your mother have been fighting about it. That I am a factor in your decision. So I am telling you to go to Harvard. It is selfish of myself to ask you to do otherwise."

"You don't want me to go to Caltech?" Amy asks distressed. She had already sent in her letter, she was going whether he wanted her to or not.

"I want you to go to Caltech more than anything. However I don't want you to give up on your dreams for me."

"What if I told you that I had already decided. That I sent in my letter to Caltech and I will be going there in the fall?"

"That would make me so happy, you have no idea. However I don't want you to make this decision just for me. I don't want to hold you back." He tells her.

"I made this decision for me, for us, believe me if I thought Harvard was right I would be going. However something in my heart tells me I made the right choice." She tells him and he kisses her again.

"It's nearing your curfew you'll have to leave soon." Sheldon says. Amy checks her watch and agrees. The ride to the cabin had taken forty five minutes even if she leaves now she may not make it home in time.

"You're right, we better get going." She says popping up and he grabs her hand to keep her with him.

"Stay, stay with me tonight, okay?" He begs. "We can deal with the consequences later, please don't leave yet."

"Okay." She agrees and she sits back down beside him and he touches the tiara still perched on her head.

"Queen Amy." He whispers gently in her ear kissing her softly.

"King Sheldon." She whispers back kissing him softly again. Then they are lost in the night. The party swirls on behind them. Yet in that moment it is only them.


	17. 2 become 1

**Okay, this is just a quick update. I wanted this at the end of the last chapter. But then he felt wrong there. Then I was going to scrap it. Then the taping happened (go read Jloves super cute story about it) So I rewrote it some and decided to post anyways. Again I can not thank cutelittlelumpofwool82 enough for all she does.**

 _You're right, we better get going." She says popping up and he grabs her hand to keep her with him._

 _"Stay, stay with me tonight, okay?" He begs. "We can deal with the consequences later, please don't leave yet."_

 _"Okay." She agrees and she sits back down beside him and he touches the tiara still perched on her head._

 _"Queen Amy." He whispers gently in her ear kissing her softly._

 _"King Sheldon." She whispers back kissing him softly again. Then they are lost in the night. The party swirls on behind them. Yet in that moment it is only them._

Then the skies open up a torrential downpour begins. Within seconds they are soaked and running as fast as they can for the for the cabin. A large crack of lighting lights up sky followed by a large crack of thunder. Then the loud ear piercing crack of a large tree falling down. They turn around stunned to discover the tree blocking the driveway. There would've been no going home tonight anyways. Her mother knew where she was all would take was a call to explain the predicament and her other could drive up tomorrow and see the evidence for herself, Amy laughs as they race across lawn and inside the cabin. Sometimes fate was a funny thing.

"Looks like I would be staying here anyways?" Amy whispers to Sheldon as she follows him inside the cabin. Missy and her friends are still hanging out in the living room. Amy is surprised by how few people are really inside. From the noise they were making it sounded like one hundred people, when really their only only ten including them.

"What happened to y'all?" Missy exclaims seeing them looking like drowned cats. "Ya'll must have forgotten you take off the clothes when you skinny dip." Missy laughs at her joke but Sheldon is not amused.

"We were outside, it is raining." Sheldon says pointing out the window. "You were all being so loud you probably did not even hear the thunder. However you might want to make arrangements a strike of lightning took out a tree. It appears we are blocked in for the time being."

"It's alright we were all staying the night anyways." Missy tells him and Amy looks around all the other guests are girls who are all in their pajamas. Amy wishes she had some pj's right about now. She is shivering in her soaking wet dress.

"It's the we didn't have a date slumber party." One of the girls says laughing.

"Yeah no boys allowed." Another girls says giggling.

"I thought their were boys earlier?" Amy asks , she was sure she saw a few when they first arrived.

"We kicked them out." Missy says laughing and all the other girls join in. Amy shrugs now that she thinks of it she did see some cars leaving earlier. "Anyways ya'll can have the master bedroom. We're all going to sleep out here together."

"So kind of you to offer." Sheldon says rolling his eyes. "As if that was not going to happen anyways." He tells her turning on his heel and stomping down the hall...

"Do you guys come up here often."

"In the summers ,yes." He tells her leading her into a bedroom. " My brother and sister would spend all their time playing in the lake. I however spent my time in here, the only room with a TV." Amy looks around the room.

"It's very...rustic." Amy comments. It is a bedroom with a large four poster bed and a fireplace. The decor is very rugged with wood paneled walls and a deer head hanging on the wall. Sheldon sees her looking at it and apologizes.

"This was my Pop Pop's hunting cabin, he built it himself. Being an avid huntsman dead animals were his favorite thing to decorate with." He tells her and Amy smiles at him. The hint of his Texas twang is very pronounced in that sentence. She knows most of the time he tries to hide it and use non regional diction. Yet every now and then it pops out.

"I love your southern accent." She tells him wrapping her arms around him.

"I don't have a southern accent." He pouts tali g off his crown and putting it kn the table.

"Just a little one." She says holding out her fingers to indicate a small amount. "My pop pop's cabin." She said trying to imitate the way he said it giggling.

"That doesn't sound like me." He protests looks are her light blue eyes turning dark and she can't tell if it is because she has made him angry, or if it is something else. He lifts the tiara off her head keeping contact with her eyes the whole time ss he sets it next to his crown. Amy feels paralyzed by his steady gaze and the smile goes off her face and she changes the subject.

"I should call my mother, is there a phone?" She asks and wordlessly he walks over and grabs a cordless phone and hands it to her. Amy fumbles with the numbers with her shaky hands. The phone is picked up on the first ring.

"Amy! Is that you? I have been worried sick."

"Mother, there was a bad storm."

"I know I am watching the wind whip right now. Honestly Amy it would probably be best if you just stayed there tonight." Her mother sighs. "Sheldon's mother is still there right?"

"Umm yeah, of course." Amy lies, she doesn't remember telling her mother that his mother was there but whatever works. Amy looks up at Sheldon and sees that he is undressing.

"When I told you that you could go to the silly cabin, you promised you would not break curfew. But I don't want you to be killed trying to make it. So just stay there and be safe."

"Alright mother, I will call you in the morning." Amy says hanging up.

Then she watches Sheldon as he peels off the rest of his clothes. The wet dress shirt clings to his body almost transparent. Her tummy does odd little flips as she watches him take it off and stand in his soaking wet white undershirt. Amy thinks that should probably get out of her wet clothes too. But she doesn't have anything else to put on.

"My mother told me just to stay here tonight." Amy gulps watching as he undoes his pants and pulls them off. Just standing in his underwear.

"Well, that works in our favor." He says smiling at her. The light is back in his eyes and she smiles back."You should probably get out of your wet clothes too. You could get sick if you stay like that."

"I don't have anything to change into." She says dumbly and he looks at her oddly. It occurs to her then that this not the first time they will have been soaking wet and naked together. Tis times feel different though. The first time it almost felt like two kids playing doctor, Exploring each others bodies without serious intent.

"This time I know i'm ready, I wonders if he is too." Amy thinks biting her lip and looking over at her boyfriend, His back his turned to her and she studies the muscles on his back fascinated.

"I can find you something." He says going over to a closet and sliding the door open, He rummages through and hands her a flannel buttondown shirt. He takes one out a shirt for himself too.

"Thanks." She says taking the shirt and setting it down. Amy fumbles with the back of her dress trying to unzip it.

"Here let me help you." He says stepping over to her. He reaches around behind her and unhooks the clasp, then pulls the zipper down. The feeling of the material falling away and his hand running down her spine send shivers throughout her body.

"Are you cold?" He asks concerned as she shivers in front of him. His eyes are dark and intent again and she wants nothing more than for him to kiss her again. This kiss on the picnic table seems like it was ages ago.

" _No I am shivering because of you." She thinks but instead she nods her head weakly._

"Here put on this on." He tells her handing her the shirt again. Amy lets the dress pull around her feet and she thinks she hears him gasp.

She forgot she was not wearing a bra under the dress. Missy told her that wearing one with the dress would look weird. Amy gathers up the dress and hangs it over a chair and then begins to button up the shirt. It is aged and buttery soft and warm against her her cool skin. Sheldon pulls on a t-shirt that seems much too large and baggy on him.

"Perhaps we should get under the covers to warm up?" He asks and Amy agrees he pulls back the covers and she climbs in. He gets in bed beside her and pulls the covers up to his chest.

"We should start a fire." Amy tells him and he looks at her startled before relaxing and noticing the fireplace. Amy thinks about how romantic it would be sitting cuddling in a cabin listening to the rain with a roaring fire.

"If only I knew how." He sighs staring at the unlit fireplace ruefully. "I am sorry you are cold." He tells her looking over at her. "You know what keep you warm? Body heat the human body can produce a lot of heat."

"Should I come over there?" She asks feeling nervous and he holds out his arm to her and she scoots over and snuggles underneath it. He smells like the rain, and like the lavender sachet that was guarding the closet, and of something else that she can not place but makes her heart flutter. He is so warm and she feels so comfortable she feels her eyes getting heavy. It had been a busy day.

"Amy? Can I ask you something?" He asks.

"Umm-hmmm." She answers sleepily.

"Do you think we are moving too fast?" He asks and she snaps up to attention sitting up on her elbows to look at him.

"Do you we think we are?" She asks him worried. Maybe they were moving to fast , with the promise rings, and going to the same school. It never felt that way to her, it felt like it was meant to be.

"No, of course not. However I overheard my mother and my Memaw arguing about it. My memaw seems to think we are to serious for two kids just in high school."

"What does your mother say?" Amy asks.

"That as long as we love each other , and we stick to what we ought to be doing our age shouldn't matter." He says looking at her intently again.

"What do you think?" She asks him and he looks like he is mulling it over. Making her heart beat fast nervous for the answer.

"I think that before you I did not believe in love. That when my brother or my sister would say they were in love I would roll my eyes. Annoyed that their baser urges were somehow taking over my life with new dinner guests, and strange people at the house. Then I met you and I understood why they acted the way they did. The I did not understand at all, because while their interests changed week to week. I will never feel the way I do about you… With anyone else… That maybe we are moving faster than normal people our age. Yet that doesn't mean we are wrong." He says and she looks up at him and smiles.

"Sheldon Cooper is never wrong." She tells him and he looks down at her with fire in his eyes. Finally kissing her , softly at first but Amy pulls him in and won't let him go.

"Be careful, I…" Sheldon says breaking away when Amy wraps her bare leg around his waist.

"Might not be able to control myself." Amy finishes. "I don't want you to control yourself." She tells him shocking herself and him.

" _You have been waiting for it to be else will it Be more perfect than this? You just won prom queen, you are at a cabin, in the middle of a rainstorm, forced to be nude, If I wait what will happen? We wait until we are in college. Then we have some sneaky tryst while his roommate or my roommate is gone? Wishing the whole time that we had done it right now? I know that I want him, and I think he wants me." Amy tells herself as his shocked expression give her doubts._

"You want too,,,?" he asks gulping and she shakes her head yes. Then she kisses him again and he kisses her back. Rolling on his back and pulling her on top of him. She giggles as she straddles him, surprised by how quickly she got her way. "Take this off." He tells her tugging at her shirt. "It was my pop pop's." Amy wrinkles her nose and pulls off the shirt a little grossed out. He lays flat on his back and stares up at her for a moment making her nervous.

"We don't have too."

"No I want too." He says placing his hands in the dip of her waist. Then he runs them up to her ribcage and. She tries not to giggle as he hits her ribs. " I need to get my condom out of my wallet."he tells her and she rolls off of him.

"Oh right." She says laying on her back as he leaves the bed and gets something from his pants pocket. Then coming back to bed and lying back beside her nervously.

"What do we do now?" He asks looking over at her and taking her hand.

"I don't know." Amy tells him squeezing his hand.

"Maybe this was a bad idea." Amy worries looking over at his equally nervous face.

"How about this?" He ask looking over to her. "We act like we are not about to embark on a life changing event and proceed from there?"

"That's why you are a genius." Amy tells him kissing him deeply grabbing his face with her hands.

"Well you are too." He says kissing her back, only this time he presses her into the bed.

Amy pulls the t-shirt he is wearing over his head. Laughing as it gets stuck on his ears and he has to pull it the rest of the way off. Then she rubs her hands up and down his back. Stopping at the band of his underwear as he kisses her neck. He stops and pulls them off, leaving hers on, the last barrier between them. He kisses her again leaving her feeling breathless. Amy wiggles out of her underwear and he hands her the condom. When it is on he moves between her legs.

"Are you okay?" They both ask each other at the same time.

"Yes." He says. "I am just worried I will hurt you."

"You won't, it's okay." She tells him sounding more confident than she feels. Then she pulls him down for another kiss as he guides himself inside her. It does hurt a little and she grips his back for support as he moves deeper.

"Do you want me to stop?" He asks hearing her sharp intake of breath.

"No it's okay." She assures him. Burying her face in his neck kissing him softly. As he moves more the sensation changes and it starts to feel good. Amy let's out a moan as his hand caress her breasts causing a quake of sensations to ripple over her body.

"Amy…please" He moans and she knows he is asking for permission and she shakes her head yes. The look of pure pleasure that washes over his faces causes her own body to let go. Afterwards she lays on his chest. Listening to his frantic heartbeat as he strokes her hair softly. "That was…"

"Amazing." Amy sighs looking up at him and he smiles.

"I was going to say informative. But amazing works just as well." He says a little smugly. Amy settles back on his chest listening as his heartbeat slows down again. Between the sound of his heart and the sound of the rain still beating down on the roof she is feeling very sleepy.

"Amy?" He asks.

"Yes?" She asks yawning.

"Do you feel different?" He asks and she thinks a moment.

"No, I don't… Do you?"

"No. I feel happy, tired, and sated but not different. I thought you were supposed to feel changed somehow. It just felt like it was supposed to happen, like our bodies were made to fit." He says sounding contemplative.

"They were made to fit. We belong together. Like puzzle pieces." Amy agrees yawning.

"You're tired, get some sleep." He says and it is the last thing she hears before she drifts off.

 **It may be awhile before the next update. My father is in hospice care and does not have much longer in this world. So I may be busy for the next week or so but the story is not done yet.**


	18. Iris

**Thank you for all your messages of support through this difficult time. My father passed away shortly after my last chapter was published. That day my mother fell ill. She fought hard but in the end she couldn't make it. I lost her on Tuesday. My mother supported me so much. She read and reviewed all my stories. Proud of me for just doing a silly hobby. As much as I want to curl in a ball and disappear. My mom and dad would want me to try and be happy. Writing eases my mind. So thank you for reading.**

Almost a month after her magical night Amy has a slight case of deja vu. She is back at her house on a Thursday studying. Only it is not Sheldon seated across from her but his barrel chested idiot brother. After she revealed to her mother that she had been accepted by Caltech and would be going there next fall she had been grounded. Or at least her mother said that was why. Amy thought she knew the real reason though. Somehow just by looking at her she knew what happened. Knew that Amy was a woman know. She never asked her, she knew Amy would never tell her the truth. So instead she punished what she could.

Amy's mother thought depriving her of her boyfriend would change her mind. Yet she still had to pay back Mary for the dress in the form of tutoring George Jr. So her mother allowed one exception to her groundation. Just the twice weekly tutoring sessions. After only a few sessions Amy could see why Sheldon gave up trying to teach Junior. Amy thinks it would be easier to teach a monkey to smoke than to help Junior pass algebra.

George only half listens to what she is saying. Annoyed that he might actually have to learn something. Originally his plan had been to flatter Amy into doing his work for him. It had worked with every other female tutor he had had. A flip of his hair and a smoldering look and they were tripping over themselves to help him. Amy was unmoved by his looks. Never looking at him with more than undisguised disdain. A girl who thought that his brother was better looking than him was a girl he had never encountered before. Then after a few weeks a genuine infatuation for his brothers girlfriend started forming.

Amy was not like the other girls he encountered. She was grounded, serious, and a good listener. Amy never bored him with endless talks about malls, shoes, and boy bands he could not stand. Amy reminded him of a teacher he had back in the first grade, the second time he went to first grade. Before Sheldon joined the school and ruined everything. The first time he had Mrs. Whitmire, an evil old lady who had taught his father before him. Mrs. Whitmire branded him a troublemaker from day one, he never stood a chance. The second time he had Mrs. Morgan, a sweet faced woman with long honey colored hair. Her voice had the same husky calming quality that Amy's had. He remembers her reading Charlotte's Web to them. Her melodic voice washing over their heads as they rested them on top of their desks. Amy was also how he pictured Fern from the book. A quiet restful sort of person, the kind of person you trust. He could see why his brother liked her, when normally he didn't like anyone.

"What do you have for number nine?" Amy asks, she had carefully explained how to solve the problems before letting him loose on his own.

"Uhh.. Seven?" He says scratching his head looking more ape than man.

"How did you arrive at the answer?" Amy asks him calmly. The answer so hopelessly wrong Amy can not even begin to think how he arrived at it.

"Holy shit! Was I right?" He hollers slamming his giant fist on the coffee table making it shake and Amy jump.

"Not even close… So wrong that I just want to know how you got an answer so wrong." Amy tells him.

"God damn it!" He yells raking his hands through his dark hair grabbing handfuls of his long locks and tugging. "I guess I am just stupid!"

"Now, don't get frustrated." Amy scolds clicking her tongue at him. "Let's just see how you got your answer." She says leaning over him to check his paper. "You didn't do anything!" She exclaims frustrated.

"I did it in my head. Like Sheldon does… Sheldon doesn't show his work." George explains and Amy gives him a skeptical look.

"Yes and Sheldon is also a human calculator. You need to show your work." Amy sighs and then launches into another long winded explanation of the concept they are working on.

George had just launched the second part of his plan. Make Amy feel bad for him because he was dumb. If that didn't work there was flirting and flattery. George was not above trying to steal his brother's girlfriend. Besides he didn't really have to learn anything. Sheldon was changing his grades in the computer so he could graduate.

"I'll never get this, I'm just not smart like Sheldon." George says looking over at her with a pouty look that normally has girls swooning. Amy is swooning but not for the reason he wants.

"Too be fair no one is smart like Sheldon." She says dreamily. Her eyes have a shiny dreamy quality to them under her glasses.

"You've got it bad for him don't you." He asks her and for the first time since they started studying she smiles. Making her normally plain face light up and her eyes sparkle. He finds himself wishing he could see that smile more often, that maybe he could be the one to put it there.

"Maybe just a little." She giggles and the girlish sounds is unnatural coming from her.

George looks at her and her cheeks are flushed pink. She looks like how he is used to girls reacting to him. It bothers him that he can not get that reaction from her. This girl is a challenge. It makes him think about the condoms his brother stole from him. He wonders if he still has not used the strip of foil packets. Just from the look on Amy's face he would guess at least one was missing.

"You're smart like Sheldon." He tells her and she snaps her head up and looks at him a bit stunned. She brushes her dark hair behind her ears and adjusts her glasses.

"I am smart, but not like him. Sheldon is unique there is no one quite like him." She tells him shaking her head.

"Hey, don't sell yourself short." He tells her moving in to brush the stubborn strand of hair back that keeps popping out from behind her ear. "There is no one quite like you either." He says low in his most seductive voice. The tone he has dubbed the panty dropper because girls can't resist it. Instead of leaning into his hand like every other girl he has ever encountered has. For a moment Amy looks into his eyes stunned. His eyes are the same color of blue has his brother's. Junior thinks he may be working and leans in further. Then Amy recoils looking at him and his hand like he had just offered her a snake.

"I think that's enough for today." She says slamming her book shut.

"But I still don't understand how to do this!" He protests.

"You'll figure it out." She says tartly handing him his books.

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Sheldon sits at the desk in his room trying to get some work done. For the last four weeks his mind has been distracted. All he can think about his Amy. It feels like his forced separation from her is only making things worse. Sheldon tries to keep himself occupied but his perfect recall replays the most fascinating night of his life on replay. At night he dreams of her. Dreams so vivid and realistic he wakes up sweaty and with the need to change his sheets. When his mother walks into his room it is an unwelcome distraction from the movie playing over and over in his mind.

"Amy still grounded?" Mary asks a mopey looking Sheldon. Mary is carrying in his laundry in a basket settled on her hip.

"Yes, except for holding up her promise to tutor Junior she is on lockdown." Sheldon informs her huffily.

"All because she didn't choose the college her mother wanted? Seems a tad extreme." Mary muses as she opens his shirt drawer and starts putting away his t-shirts.

"Her mother is known for her extremes." Sheldon tells his mother then he sighs. "I do wish you would stick to the laundry schedule I drew up for you. It is so hard to place one's wardrobe for the week when I never know when the clothes are going to be cleaned." Mary slams his shirt drawer closed and glares at him.

"I do the laundry when I have the time. If you would like it done a certain way I told you that you are more than welcome to start doing it yourself." She tells him moving to open his sock drawer. When Sheldon rushes over faster than she has ever seen him move and grabs the basket from her and shuts the drawer closed.

"Excellent idea mother, shall we start now?" He asks shooing her out the door.

"I still have some of Missy's things in there." Mary protests as he pushes her out the door.

"Then I will put up her laundry as well." He says shutting the door. Mary stands stunned on the other side of his shut door. Narrowing her eyes in contemplation at the firmly shut door.

"That boy is hiding something." Mary says walking down the hall. "I'm going to find out what it is."

Behind the shut door Sheldon opens his sock drawer in a panic. He takes out the foil packets and stares at them. Then he looks around his room trying to find a better hiding spot. Finally he settles on the cargo cart of his model train. He slides open the door and slides in the condoms. Next to the hundred dollar bill he had been saving since christmas.

"Why didn't I think of this in the first place." He groans replacing the train on the shelf.

Then he busies himself with putting away his laundry groaning when he discovers Missy's bras and panties underneath his socks. Annoyed at himself for putting himself into this situation he goes into Missy's bedroom and begins to put away her unmentionables. It takes him a moment to find her underwear drawer because it is empty save for the most uncomfortable scrap of lace ever to be masquerading as underwear. He begins to organize his sister's underwear drawer bothered by the lack of planning. Sheldon colors slightly as he picks up a white lace bra that looks very similar to one Amy has. He runs his fingers over the lace his eidetic memory recalling with perfect precision their last night together. The feel of the lace beneath his fingers that gave way to smooth skin.

"Why are you in here fondling my bras?" Missy asks leaning against the doorframe. Sheldon shrieks and drops the bra at his feet.

"I..I..I wasn't fondling!" He exclaims. "Mother asked me to put away your underthings."

"Sure you weren't missing Amy?" She teases, surprised when he nods his head pathetically.

"I have been missing her." He admits and Missy is shocked. It's not like they don't still see each other. At school they are joined at the hip. Missy starts to feel bad for him.

"Go see her then." Missy says.

"She's grounded." He says stubbornly.

"So it ain't stopped you before." Missy shrugs. "And I happen to know she kicked Junior out of his session early."

"Why?" Sheldon asks.

"I dunno… But you may want to go find out." Missy says and that is all Sheldon needs to encourage him to seek Amy out. He bounds out of his sisters room and past his mother who is folding another load of laundry in the kitchen.

"Headed out?" Mary asks as he grabs his coat.

"Yeah, I am going to go take a walk." He lies heading out the back door.

"A walk my foot." Mary grumbles. "That boy ain't ever voluntarily gone on a walk." She says setting down her laundry.

Mary goes immediately into his room. The sock drawer holds just socks but she has been around the block long enough to know that whatever was in there has been moved. Mary surveys the room with her hands on her hips. His room is neat as a pin, nothing ever out of place. Normally this was a great source of pride for her with her two other messy children. Today however she wished just one thing would be out of place to give her a clue where to look. That's when she sees the model train on the shelf, its compartment door slightly open. Mary pulls it down and opens the door and gasps as the roll of foil packets fall at her feet.

"My word…" Mary breathes picking up the condoms and studying them with detached interest.

It does not completely surprise her. The way Sheldon looked at Amy, talked about Amy, it had made her wonder. Yet there was also a bit of a formalness between them that made her think it was not happening. With Junior she had known the day it happened, he walked with a swagger that was unmistakable. It was obvious that something had happened on his date. Missy had come to her crying, and they had prayed together then made the appointment to put her on birth control. Sheldon however had been acting cool as a cucumber. That something this major could happen to one of her children and she be in the dark bothered her. She wanted to punish him , but she had been snooping so she had to think of how.

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Sheldon rushes over to Amy's house, he knows he shouldn't be there. That if her mother knew he had been she would extend her punishment into the summer. Graduation was in three weeks, and marked the end of her being grounded. At the time the sentence while excessive seemed doable. Just six weeks of restriction then they would have the summer together. They could still see each other at school, it wouldn't be that hard. Four weeks in and he could take it no more. He hated knowing his brother spent more time with her now than he did. He knew how his brother could be. How females reacted when they were around him. He hoped Amy had remained immune to what the rest of the female population saw in him. He knocks on the door three times calling her name. Amy opens the door and wraps her arms around him tightly. Then let's him go and stares at him like he might just be an apparition and disappear in a cloud of smoke.

"I won't stay long, I don't want to get you in trouble." He says nervously. Her mother isn't due home for at least another hour.

"I don't care if I get into trouble or not." Amy tells him pulling him inside hugging him so tightly he almost can't breath.

"Amy you're hurting me." He squeaks out and she let's him go. "You saw me today." He tells her wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yeah but at school I can't do this." She says standing on her tippy toes and kissing him. He kisses her back pulling her upwards to better reach his mouth. Amy breaks away and pulls him over to the couch he sits down and she curls in his lap like a cat.

"What has gotten into you?" He asks her as she nuzzles his neck. Sitting in his lap was new and unexpected. Already the combination of her warm breath on his neck and the soft pressure of her bottom on his lap is proving difficult for him to control himself.

"I just missed you." She says meekly stroking her hand down his chest.

"I missed you, as well." He agrees smiling against the top if her head. In the weeks they had been separated from her he found it harder to concentrate on his work. Forever wondering what she was doing in that moment. "My work is suffering without you." He admits.

"I doubt that." She tells him.

"No it's true, I keep wondering what's going on over her when you and George are studying. Not that I don't trust you. I don't trust him."

"You shouldn't trust him. I will be happy when I am done tutoring him." Amy says resting her head against his chest

"Why what happened?" Sheldon asks his body stiffening. Amy looks up at him and makes a face like she is debating telling him.

"Maybe it was nothing, maybe I am just paranoid…"

"Amy tell me." He says starting to get angry.

"Well we were talking about you. My hair got in my face and he went to brush it away. His face got close to mine and I noticed how similar your eyes are. Only his don't have that spark in intelligence like yours, that same sparkle. I was marveling over how eyes really were windows to the soul. How two pairs could be so similar yet so different. When he leaned in like this." Amy demonstrates by leaning in close to his face. Like she is about to kiss him. "That's when I jumped up, slammed his books shut and made him leave. Maybe I overreacted, but he freaked me out."

"That's my girl." Sheldon sighs brushing that same lock of hair from behind her ear. Leaning in the same way Junior had. His deep blue eyes searching hers and she feels like her whole body is tingling in anticipation. When his lips connect with hers she feels like she has been engulfed in flames. She loses control of herself running her hands through his hair pulling him closer to her. Massaging her tongue massaging against his mouth until he gives her access. He groans as their mouths continue their intimate dance. It is the first time they kissed like this since prom.

"Sorry." She says apologetic of her strong reaction to his light kiss.

"Why are you sorry?" He asks softly cradling her face in his hand

"I took advantage of you. I couldn't control myself." She tells him.

"Funny…I thought I was the one taking advantage of you. To be truthful it was lustful thoughts that brought me here in the first place." He admits pulling her into another kiss. "As much as I try I can't get the night we spent together outta my head."

"Well you have an eidetic memory." She teases.

"You know what I mean." He says kissing her again. "Even when I try to think of other things it's all I can think about." He tells her gently rubbing her back.

"So you want to do it again?" She asks kissing him wiggling suggestively in his lap.

"Not now!" He says shocked at her boldness and his bodies willingness to override what his mind is telling him.

"Why not?" She asks kissing his neck, moving so she is straddling his lap.

"For one thing we don't have protection. I was not planning on this when I came over." Finding it harder to deny her.

"What if I told you that I took care of it?" She says raising her eyebrow.

"How?"

"I went to the doctor after our first time and went on the pill." Amy explains to him. After their first time she became worried about unplanned pregnancy. That she would be stuck in Texas raising his children while we went in to be a world renowned scientist.

"What about your mother? She will be home soon." And Amy shakes her head no.

"She called just before you came over she won't be back until later today. Some church emergency." The final barrier lifted Sheldon tips her back gently on the couch. Covering her body with his and kissing her. Amy's hands travel up his shirt as his hands move up her up her legs and push up her skirt.

"Should we go to your bedroom?" He asks.

"No let's just stay here." Amy tells him and he looks at her quizzically but does not argue.

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Later when Sheldon returns home just as supper is being laid on the table. He stumbles in the house with his normally neat hair mussed. His shirts uneven and disheveled with a dopey smile plastered on his face. If Mary didn't know better she would say he was drunk. But she knows that it isn't goofy juice that is affecting him. Junior who is already at the table also knows why he looks why he does and feels a pang of annoyance.

"You went on an awful long walk." Mary says as he sits at the table.

"Hmmm?" He says dreamily.

"You're walk, you said you were going on a walk when you left." Mary says harshly.

"Oh yes, that I got very vigorous exercise while on my walk. Really worked up my appetite." He says filling his plate with food.

"I'm sure you did." Junior snickers. "Amy join you on your walk?"

"Amy is grounded." Sheldon says glaring at Junior, remembering what Amy told him about earlier. Unable to retaliate on him without blowing his cover, his eye twitching uncomfortably.

"Oh yeah, you know you may want to watch your girl. I think she may be getting a little crush on me." Junior says deliberately provoking him.

"Amy is too smart for an ignoramus like you. She told me what you did today and I don't appreciate you violating her personal space." Sheldon says his anger overriding his need to lie.

"So you were with her today." Junior says slapping the table.

"So what I'm not the one grounded." Sheldon says pointedly.

"Not yet at least." Mary says getting up. "Come on boy, we got some things to talk about."

"Ooo… You're in trouble now!" Juniors hollers as they walk down the hall.


	19. Tonight, tonight

**Fair warning this chapter is bit of a departure, very emotional and angsty. After losing three very important people to me I am feeling a bit emotional and angsty. Never fear though! Cutelittlelumpofwool82 and I have some sweet fluff planned. Just hang in there though!**

Mary is madder than a cat caught in a rainstorm as she stomps into Sheldon's room. Who does that boy think he is? Who does he think he is fooling? Mary wants to slap the grin right off of his face walking in the house with that big old smile looking all ruffled. At least George Jr. And Missy tried to hide what they had been up to. Sheldon just swaggered on in like he owned the place and he could do whatever he pleased.

"Sheldon Lee Cooper do you want to tell me what you were really doing today?" She asks hands on her hips.

"I told you I was at Amy's. Honestly I don't see the big deal you yourself said her mother was unreasonable. It has been a month since I saw her outside of school." He asks confused at her anger.

"Sheldon what were you doing AT Amy's?" She asks staring him down and he looks at her and gulps. "Maybe you were using these?" She asks walking over to the train and pulling out the condoms from the compartment.

"Were you snooping in my room?" He asks angry. "People aren't supposed to be in my room. I have done nothing for you to distrust me enough to search through my personal belongings! Did George put you up to this?"

"Why would George put me up to this?".

"They're George's condoms! I just took them from his room! Now I have to change his grades in the computer if Amy can't teach him something so he can graduate! But he won't learn anything because instead of listening to her he is too busy trying to seduce her!"

"What?" Mary asks shaking her head at all the information she is trying to process.

"Okay fine! I hate lying anyways, I am not good at it! I knew Prom carried a tradition of losing one's virginity from Missy and her friends. Not wanting to be unprepared or not follow social convention. Yet too embarrassed to get my own. I attempted to purloin some prophylactics. Junior caught me and to ensure his silence I agreed to change his final grades. If and only if, he could not improve his grades on his own. Which won't happen because he tried to kiss Amy today, and she had to kick him out!" Sheldon explains in a rush.

"Okay this is a whole lot to process all at once. So let me just ask about some key points. First you say you got condoms because you thought losing one's virginity was a …. Whatchamacallit?" Mary asks warily.

"Social convention." Sheldon corrects.

"Did you follow social convention?" She asks him and he looks at her guiltily. Mary already knows the answer she just wants him to admit it to her.

"Yes… Amy and I have made love…twice... But we used protection, and she is on the pill so you do not have to worry about being a Meemaw prematurely." Sheldon explains and Mary sits on his bed to steady herself. Suddenly the anger she was feeling fades away. As much as she would love for Sheldon to remain her little boy forever he was growing up and in a few short months he would be in college, living all the way in California. He had at least waited longer than his brother and sister had.

"Shelly bean… Do you love this girl?"

"More than anything." He says seriously and Mary shakes her head.

"I know… Sheldon if you really love this girl then I want you to know sex isn't bad. That it is a beautiful expression of love between two people. Maybe god would prefer you to be married first, but we both know you ain't ever put no stock into what he says anyways. So just be careful and make sure you don't make me a premature Meemaw okay?" Mary sighs, deciding she would rather be in the loop then shut out. That's what would happen if she tried and punish him. He would just shut her out. Sneak around behind her back and do whatever he pleased. Then when he went off to college she would lose him completely.

"Am I in trouble?" He asks a little confused.

"Originally yes you were, however now I have reconsidered. Your only punishment is to pray with me." Mary tells him. "Come over here with me and let us pray."

Sheldon walks over to his mother who kneels down on the floor. Sheldon kneels down with her and bows his head. Mary puts her hands into a praying gesture and Sheldon imitates her. Mary closes her eyes and Sheldon does to. She does not say anything for awhile and Sheldon steals a glance at her from under his lashes. Shocked to see a tear streaming down her cheek. It makes his tummy hurt to see her cry.

"Mom?" He gulps out but she hushes him.

"I'm fixing to speak with Jesus, hush!" Mary says and Sheldon rolls his eyes but says nothing else. "Dear Lord, it's me Mary Cooper. Lord I know you frown on relations outside of holy matrimony. My boy has sinned, but I know you will find it in your ever loving heart to forgive him. Do you remember last year about this time, I spoke to you about my boy Sheldon. How hard he was taking his Daddy dying. How I hoped he could find something to draw him out of his sadness. Or someone who would be able to reach him. Speak to his soul and heal him in a way I couldn't. To bring me back my little boy who seemed so lost. Lord sometimes you have a way of answering prayers. You found someone to help guide my Shelly, to take away the darkness clouding his heart and help him see the light. Yet instead of giving me back my little boy, I was given a man instead. One who can feel. Who can love with a grateful heart. Thank you lord for granting prayers in mysterious ways. May love forever be in your name, amen." Mary finishes her voice cracking.

Sheldon feels like his throat is made of sand paper. His eyes feel heavy and watery. It has been a long time since he's cried in front of his mother. He hated crying, it seemed so messy and unnecessary. Yet tears spilled unbidden down his cheeks now. He wraps an arm around his mother and hugs her to his side.

"I'm still your little boy." He says.

"No you ain't, you have grown into a wonderful young man. However you'll always be my baby. I love you Shelly bean no matter what you do." She says hugging him back. "Now come on let's go eat dinner." She says patting his arm and standing up. Sheldon stands up too and follows her out the door.

Late after dinner and all the kids are off doing their own thing. Mary stretches out on the couch with a can of Dr. Pepper. She turns on Touched by an Angel and tries to relax her mind. Yet even Roma Downey and Della Reese can't calm her down. She wonders what Peggy thinks about all of this. Peggy had to have known, before she knew. Daughters always tell their mothers more. Sheldon mentioned Amy was on birth control so Peggy had to know. Mary thinks that's probably the real reason Amy was grounded. She thought it was odd to ground someone for a month for just choosing to go to another, yet still elite college. That means they did it the first time prom night.

"All that sneaking around they have to do will only make it worse." Mary says out loud to the TV like the angels are going to hear her and fix her problems. Mary hears the phone ring and knows it is Amy calling at her normal time. Mary stands up thinking it might be time to have a little talk with Peggy. Maybe straighten a few things out, so her boy was not constantly thrown into the role of bad boy.

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Amy calls Sheldon at exactly 7:30, their watches synced to always read the same time. Sheldon picks up on the first ring. She loves how he says hello, the way he pretends anyone could be on the phone. Missy once told her that he waited by the phone like an obedient puppy. That the one time she was late because her mother had been on the phone he was pacing the halls. There is so much Amy wants to tell him. When her mother had come home he had barely squeezed out the back door. Her mother had seemed to sense he was there checking every room. Even now she hears the click that tells her that her mother is listening in on the other line. A thing they discovered she was doing when she would always mysteriously know their weekend plans. She did not listen every time but when she did they spoke in code.

"Good evening Sheldon. Did your mother bake cookies?" Amy asks. Sheldon knows when she asks that, it means her mother is listening in.

"She did, but she burnt the batch." Sheldon tells her sadly. At first Amy thinks Sheldon forgot their code.

Then she remembers in Sheldon's zeal of making codes he devised a complicated system of communication. If everything was normal he said 'I will bring you some to school tomorrow.' Meaning they would talk then without being spied on. If he said 'yes, but they are oatmeal raisin.' It meant he was having a bad day and resented not having her to vent to. Burnt the batch was his version of code black. Something terrible had happened.

"You'll still bring me some to school right?" She asks worried, wondering what could be wrong.

"I wish I could bring you some to you right now." He says and she can hear the pout in his voice. He sounds so vulnerable it breaks her heart.

"I wish you could too, I miss you." She coos at him.

"I miss you…Mother!" He says annoyed and Amy is annoyed too. Why is he calling her mother? She had told him that she missed him before. Then Mary gets on the line and it makes sense.

"Hey there sugar." She says with a voice that sounds both stern and caring. A kind of tone only Sheldon's mother could use.

"Hi Mary." Amy says wondering what all this was about.

"Now honey, Sheldon told me about ya'll being...intimate." Amy feels like an egg has been cracked over her head. A cold feeling of dread sweeps over her body. She prays that her mother has already hung up the phone, bored of cookie talk. "Don't be mad at him honey, I found the condoms."

"You found the what!" Her mother shrieks into the phone. "Amy!"

"I have to go." Amy says hanging up the phone knowing her mother is on her way. Amy tries to run up the stairs to her room and lock it.

Peggy quick in her anger rounds on her pulling her hard by her shirt. It stops Amy in her tracks and she trips on her own feet and falls down knocking her chin on a wooden stair. Amy tries to stand back up, but her mother slaps her hard across the face and she stays down. Tears blinding her as she tries to crawl up the stairs to the safety of her room. Her mother grabs her ankles and drags her down the stairs. Amy can feel the bruises forming and a sharp pain in her rib cage as she bumps hard down the stairs.

"Mommy please!" Amy screams as her mother continues dragging her across the hardwood floors by her ankles.

"Whore!" Her mother spits at her. "Don't mommy me, you floozy! I trusted you and look at where that brought us." Peggy says coldly stopping in front of the sin closet. "I thought you were smart Amy. You're not smart, you are a dumb silly whore. Using her hoo-ha to get what she wants. You've probably been having sex with his brother too. Might as well now that you're spoilt!"

"Mother, having sex once does not curdle my genitals! I am not spoiled." Amy tells her trying to reason with her. "You had sex to have me right?"

"Biggest mistake of my life. I never wanted you. Neither did your father, that's why he killed himself, he didn't want to be saddled with you." Peggy says coldly.

"You told me he died in a car accident." Amy sniffs trying to wipe her nose.

"Yes, he purposely ran his car off the road and into the lake." Peggy tells her and Amy is stunned. Her father had left her on purpose and left her all alone with this witch. Amy feels numb. Like her limbs are made of lead. "Now get in the closet and pray for your sins."

"No." Amy says defiantly. "I did not sin."

"Oh yes you did." Peggy growls.

"No, you have, maybe that's why you're so concerned with mine! You are trying to make up for your own sins!" Amy says getting up and shouting at her mother. "No more will I be your whipping girl!" She tells her crossing her arms and standing tall. Amy sees for the first time that she is taller than her mother. Stronger too her mother is a wisp of a woman but Amy is sturdy and strong.

"Is that so?" Peggy asks her eyes flashing dangerously.

"You want to know what else? I have made love to Sheldon more than once. Twice as a matter if fact and I will do it again. Once after prom, where his mom was NOT at the party supervising! Then once today, on your couch, in front of your picture of Jesus…" Amy says then something connects with her temple and the world goes black.

"Mom?" She calls out when she wakes up in the pitch black. Her cheek resting on the cold hard floor her head throbbing.

"Don't you mom me." She hears her mother say.

"Where am I?" She asks disoriented for a moment.

"Where you belong, and where you shall remain until you regain your senses." She tells her.

"I have school in the morning, Sheldon will be worried." Amy reminds her.

"Don't you worry about him… You won't ever see that boy again." Peggy replies coolly.

"I have college in the fall." Amy says gruffly.

"You're not going anywhere." Her mother says firmly.

"You can't do this." Amy mumbles weakly.

"I can… I have… And I will… Get some sleep Amy. It is going to be a long day." Her mother replies heading to bed.

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The next morning Sheldon is anxious to talk to Amy. Worried his mother, had inadvertently caused Amy even more trouble with her mother. Even though she was grounded she was still allowed to pick him up and take him to school. Really they weren't sure if it was allowed, but her mother had not expressly forbade it. However Amy does not arrive at her usual time to pick him up. Sheldon paces the hallway waiting for her checking his watch nervously. Amy is never late, their watches are synced up. She knows his feelings on tardiness. After twenty minutes it is apparent she is not coming. His brother takes him school and he is in a foul mood.

"I can't believe Amy did not show." He grumps.

"Maybe she is sick of you?" George says laughing. Sheldon giving him a scathing look.

"Maybe she is sick?" Missy offers. "Or that crazy ass mama of her's found out she was still taking you to school?"

"If she was sick then she would have called." Sheldon says, now worried about the distinct possibility this does have to do with her mother. What if her mother makes them break up for good now? The thought makes a lump form in his tummy.

"Maybe she was too sick to call?" Missy muses as they get out of the car.

"Maybe that's it." Sheldon sighs.

Sheldon worries all day but hopes she will call him tonight and tell him what happened. Yet when he gets home their normal call time passes without her calling Sheldon gets worried. He calls her house but gets no answer. So he goes on a walk past her house and it looks dark and empty, but her and her mother's cars are parked outside. He knocks on her door and gets no answer so he walks back home. The next morning Amy is a no show again. Her desk is yet again empty at school and Sheldon gets sick with worry. Since she started at his school she has not missed a single day.

At lunch he leaves school and walks to her house. He bangs on her door, but no one is home. Her mother's car is gone and Amy's is still parked, the morning paper is gone from it's slot. Desperate for answers he climbs up the rose trellis and pushes her window open and tumbles inside. Finding Amy's bed made and her word of the day calendar unturned since yesterday. Instinctively he feels something is amiss and he wanders downstairs calling her name. He is about to give up and leave when he hears a sound like a door rattling and a strangled cry.

"Amy?" He calls out.

"Sheldon?" He hears her call back muffled sounding "Help me!"

"Where are you?" He asks running around the house frantically trying to locate her.

"In the closet, in the hallway! Let me out!" Amy yells and he follows her voice.

"What are you doing in there?" He asks shaking while unlocking the door. Amy is huddled on the floor. She looks tired and dirty. Her eyes are puffy like she had been crying a lot. There is a bruise and wound on her temple as well as her chin and her fingers are bloody.

"My mom locked me in here. She did not take the news of me losing my virginity well." Amy says weakly cradling her head in her hands. She sounds lost and confused, like she thinks he may not really be there. "Can you help me up?" She asks wearily. Sheldon bends down and tries to lift her up, but he stops when she yelps in pain.

"Where are you hurt?" He asks her stooping down to check her.

"Everywhere." She mumbles tearfully looking up at him.

"We got to get you to a hospital." He tells her gently pushing her hair off her face. She nods weakly and starts crying again. "I don't want to hurt you, but I have to get you up." He tells her his voice gentle as he wraps his hands around her waist and lifts her up. Amy stands but her knees are wobbly and she clutches to him to keep from falling.

"I don't know if I can drive." She tells him as he walks her towards the front door. He grabs her keys from the bowl by the door and steels his nerves.

"I'll drive you." He tells her looking at her car with solid determination.

"But you don't drive." She says weakly.

"I can do this." He assures her.

There are warring waves of fear swarming in his mind. The fear of driving the car, of crashing and dying. Then the fear that Amy might be seriously injured. His love for Amy wins out and he buckled in safely into the passenger seat before sliding behind the wheel. He checks his mirrors several times, adjusts his seat, his long legs needed more room than Amy's. When he finally starts the car Amy his slumped against the window dozing off. His gut clenches with worry as he pulls out of her driveway and starts towards the hospital. He knows the way well, having visited the emergency several times over the years. When he pulls into the parking lot Amy wakes up and smiles at him.

"I knew you could do it." Sheldon smiles back weakly. Leave it to Amy to be encouraging him when she looked like a ragdoll the family dog had got too. He helps her out of the car and leads her inside the building. Setting her in a hard plastic chair while he checks her in.

"What happened to her?" The receptionist asks looking over his shoulder at Amy.

"I'm not sure, I found her like this. However her ribs seem to be injured and she has suffered a blow to her right temple she may have a concussion. Ummm and her fingernails are broken off and bloody." He tells her as she hands him forms to fill out.

"Where did you find her looking like that?" She asks giving him a suspicious glance.

"Locked in her mother's closet. She had been missing two days and I found her like this." He states angrily.

"Well, this is more serious than I thought." She tells him picking up the phone. "You just go on and fill out them forms honey. We will take good care of her now."


	20. Doll Parts

**A big thank you to my beta and bestie cutelittlelumpofwool82! This chapter really needed her input. Thank you for all the well wishes and reviews. I feel better now.**

Mary sits at her desk in the church office. It is hot in the small stuffy room, her only relief from the heat is the erratic bursts of air from the oscillating fan. Mary tries to concentrate on the ledger of numbers in front of her. But the numbers seemed blurry and jumbled up. Her mind dull from the heat and worry. Sheldon hadn't heard from his little girlfriend in days. She worries her big old mouth had caused problems. Well she knew Amy probably got a whupping and she felt bad about it. She hadn't wanted to get the girl in trouble. The phone rings and Mary is grateful for the distraction.

"First Baptist, Mary speaking." She answers brightly, talking on the phone her favorite part of her job. Most of the time it was elderly church members who just need someone to talk to. Mary is more than happy to hear about their grandchildren. Or jot down prayer requests.

"Mom?" She hears Sheldon's worried voice say. Immediately she knows something is wrong.

"What's wrong baby?" She asks nervously.

"I'm at the hospital with Amy. I just wanted to let you know I was here in case the truancy officer contacted you." He says worriedly.

"Sugar! Why are you there what happened?" She knew something felt off today.

"Amy wasn't at school, so I went to check on her at her house during lunch. Don't be angry, but I had to break in I needed to see if she was alright. When I found her she was hurt and locked in a closet downstairs." Sheldon rambles out.

"Oh god! Is she okay now?" Mary asks in shock.

"A little banged up a few bruised ribs. They want to keep her for awhile because she has a concussion and she is dehydrated. I am going to stay with her. I just wanted to let you know where I was." Sheldon replies.

"I am heading there now Shelly." Mary tells him.

"Alright. Amy is in room 314." He agrees.

"I'll be there soon." Mary says hanging up the phone.

Mary grabs her purse and locks up the church office. That was the good thing about her job the flexible hours. If she ever had to leave for family it was never even a question. She drives there as quickly as she can without breaking a traffic law. When she gets to Amy's room her heart sinks. The girl looks like a fragile china doll all propped up in her bed.

"Honey, did your mama do this to you?" Mary blurts out feeling sick with anger. She had not been happy at first either, but to do this over kids being kids?

"Yes." Amy croaks out and Mary's stomach aches with pain for the child.

"Over what she found out?" Amy just shakes her head yes. Mary was as christian as they came, but there was being a good christian. Then there was being an insane religious zealot.

"Oh honey, this is my fault. I feel so awful you must hate me right now." Mary says tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's not your fault. If it wasn't this it might have been something else. Mother has not been well for a while." Amy starts coughing from the effort of the sentence. Sheldon give Amy a sip of water from the cup beside her bed. She smiles gratefully to Sheldon afterwards.

"Honey has she done this before?" Mary asks worriedly. She knew Amy's mother was a little odd. Yet she would have never suspected she was capable of something like this. Amy shakes her head no and wipes the tears from her eyes. Mary notices her fingers are bandaged as well.

"No, she slapped me once a few months ago. The sin closet is nothing new, never for that long anyway. Doesn't everyone get that punishment at some point?" She asks and Mary shakes her head no sadly at the sheer thought of Amy thinking such a punishment was the norm.

"No honey, that is a very cruel and unusual punishment." Mary tells her softly. "Are they calling the authorities?" Mary asks Sheldon and he gives her a pained look. Amy starts getting upset trying to get out of bed.

"She doesn't want them too, but quite frankly I don't think she has a choice." Sheldon tells Mary as he tries to settle Amy back down by sitting on the bed with her and holding her hand as gently as he could.

"Don't call the cops on my mom! I deserved it, I knew I was sneaking around. I knew that she would be upset with me but I still did it. It's not that bad, honestly just a bump on the head. I don't even know if she did that! I could have just fainted." Amy defends even if the excuse is weak.

"Right, you fainted and your mother put you in the closet for safekeeping." Sheldon says frustratingly, wishing he could arrest her mother himself. With enough force to the head Amy, his Amy could have been… he didn't even want to think of the worst case scenario.

"Sheldon honey, could you give me and Amy a private moment?" Mary asks sensing Sheldon needed time to calm down.

"If you think I am leaving her side.." Sheldon begins but Amy touches his arm gently.

"It's okay." Amy tells him and he hesitates for a second, but kisses her hand and gets up to leave the room. But he doesn't go far as he closes the door and then slumps against it resting the back of his head against the cool wooden grain and taking a deep breath.

"Amy did your mama ever read you stories when you was little?" Mary asks softly.

"Sometimes, mostly bible stories. Although I read everything I could get my hands on when I got old enough." Amy replies.

"Just like Shelly no doubt! Boy would read my cookbooks when he ran out of other things. I used to prop him up on the kitchen counter make him tell me the better homes and gardens recipe for tuna casserole. Used to say I should try to market that as an invention a human cookbook! Tell him what you wanted and if he had read it, he remembered it." Mary says laughing at the memory of her little boy. "But I am going off on a tangent. There was this story in a book I used to read Missy. It was about a little girl and she lived with her mother in the woods. Her mama kept her in the woods because when the girl was just a baby, a fortune teller came and read her fortune. The fortune teller told her that one day a handsome prince would come and take her daughter far away. Now most moms would think this was a good fortune. However this scared the woman something fierce! All she ever wanted in the whole world was this baby girl, and ain't no one was going to take her away from her. So she took her baby girl to the woods where no prince would ever see her. Then as fate would have it one day when the girl was older she was a walking in the woods picking berries and she came upon a handsome prince. The prince fell immediately in love her. Begged her to marry him and come away to his castle. The girl was so pleased she ran home to tell her mother. Instead of the joy she hoped she would find from her mother her mother was furious. She locked her away in a box and kept her there for the rest of her life." Mary pauses getting ready to get to the moral of the story.

"Mary." Amy asks softly.

"Yes sugar?" Mary asks.

"That's an amalgamation of several fairy tales you are telling to me to prove a point correct?" Amy says with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Saw through that did you? Do you see what my point is?" Mary asks.

"You think my mother is highly overprotective because I am all she has. Yet you also don't see it as an excuse for her behavior." Amy replies.

"Very good. Do you see it as an excuse for her behavior?" Mary asks her and Amy thinks about it.

"Don't you think we should be punished too? You're also a highly conservative christian. Don't you feel like we should pay for our sins?" Amy asks curiously.

"Not like this baby, not like this.." Mary thinks shaking her head sadly. "Let me tell you the same thing I told Sheldon. When two people love each other, like I know you and Sheldon do. The act of physical love is a beautiful thing. God has to be a little okay with it for it's how his children are created right? Yes, maybe I would have preferred you to be married before ya'll joined together. But I will tell you a secret, I wasn't a virgin when I got married." Mary replies softly.

"You weren't?" Amy asks dumbfounded.

"No sugar, that ship had long since sailed. I was a bit of a wild one in my youth. I can tell you my first time was not with a boy who loved me half as much as Sheldon loves you. Amy even if I did think ya'll had sinned. No sin deserves to be punished like this, ever. You don't deserve this baby girl." Mary says starting to tear up.

"I guess I know that. My mother is all I have though. All I've ever had. My father died when I was very young. My mother is not in her right mind. I've been noticing the signs for awhile and have done nothing, but I have nowhere else to go." Amy says softly her voice cracking.

"Yes you do. You can stay with us." Mary tells her seriously.

"You would let me and Sheldon live together?" Amy asks curiously with tears in her eyes.

"Or maybe you could stay with Meemaw, she has more room and could always use the company." Mary tells her when they hear a knock at the door. "Come in." Mary says and two police officers walk into the room. Followed by Sheldon who is looking between them nervously.

"If you don't mind ma'am we would like to have a word with the girl." Says the oldest of the two officers.

"Alright Shelly, come on let's grab something to eat in the cafeteria." Mary says looking at him sternly when it looks like he might protest. He nods reassuringly to Amy and begrudgingly follows her out of the room. They say nothing until they board the elevator.

"You think they will take her away? Like to a foster home?" He asks nervously.

"Shelly her mother knocked her out and locked her in a closet. I would be very surprised if she was allowed to stay with her mother." Mary sighs, she does not want to tell him what she offered Amy just yet.

"I was worried about that." Sheldon sighs while getting in the cafeteria line with his mother. He places a wrapped sandwich and a square of green jell-o on his tray. Mary gets a plate from the salad bar and Sheldon crinkles his nose at her plate.

"What is wrong with my salad?" She asks wearily knowing he was about to tell her anyways.

"Where do I begin? First off getting a salad in an open bar in a HOSPITAL is just an open invitation for germs. You're much safer with pre-wrapped fare like this." He says holding up his cellophaned sandwich and you have both macaroni, and potato salad a gastronomic redundancy. Then last but not least your beets are touching your cottage cheese turning it pink." He states appallingly.

"Anything else before we pray?" Mary asks raising an eyebrow at him.

"I was going to touch on the fact that there is no lettuce in your salad, and I use the term "salad" loosely." He says making quotes around the word salad. "I find the lack of greenery in your salad disturbing." He tells her in his best Darth Vader voice.

"You know I don't like lettuce! It's rabbit food!" She laughs and shakes her head. Glad he is feeling better, at least enough to make jokes. "What was that Dark Mater?" She asks and he rolls his eyes.

"Darth Vader mother, I wish I was Darth Vader. I would like to force choke Amy's mother right now." He says lifting up his hand like he is imaging throttling her in his mind.

"You don't mean that." Mary says in a chiding tone. Knowing in her heart that her boy could never really hurt anyone.

"Don't I?" He asks raising his eyebrow at her. "Amy has been grounded a month for picking a different college. Then instead of just adding another month to her sentence she knocks her over the head and locks her in a closet for days. When I found her her fingernails were broken off from trying to claw her way out! I'll have to remember her in that state for the rest of my life.. No matter how much I'd love to forget. She had almost no voice from screaming almost an entire day trying to alert her neighbors. When I think of what could have happened? If that blow to her head had been harder? Or just a pinch to the left or the right? Amy may not be here at all." He says gruffly throwing down his sandwich that has begun to taste like sawdust.

"But she is here! And by god's grace and glory she is going to be okay!" Mary tells him and he still looks troubled.

"No thanks to me. It's my fault this happened to her." He sadly replies. Mary studies his clenched jaw. Empathy was never his strong suit. Previously she thought he may be lacking it completely. Yet it was clear he was feeling Amy's pain as hard as if it was happening to himself.

"Baby, you can't blame yourself. It's thanks to you she got out of there. You thought to check on her, you called the ambulance." Mary assures.

"I didn't call an ambulance." He tells her.

"Then how did she get here? She didn't look in any shape to drive." Mary asks curiously.

"I drove her. We have been practicing a little." Sheldon says offhandedly. Mary looks at him impressed, clearly he was growing up even more than she realized.

"See Shelly! You are a hero! You saved her!" Mary tells him.

"I won't be able to save her from being taken away. Amy won't be eighteen until December. She will have to go into a foster home, or go live with her aunt in Modesto. I won't get to see her again until college." He says sullenly.

"Or she could stay with us, or Meemaw until it is time for college." He looks up at her stunned unsure if he heard her correctly. "I mean, I am not condoning any hanky panky, but I don't want to see her on the streets. Or with that Mama of her's." Sheldon gets up so fast he seems like a blur. He wraps his arms around his mother and squeezed her tightly. Mary pats his shoulder grateful for the rare hug.

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Amy's head is throbbing and she is tired of answering the questions of the police officers. The memories of that night felt fuzzy and distorted. Like she was viewing them out of a bottle. Mostly it seemed she could only remember her heartbeats. It's flutter at talking with Sheldon, the quick anxious beats when her mother heard the news, then the thudding fear and feeling of dread when she woke up in the closet.

"You say you woke up in the closet." One of the police officers asks calmly. The officer is a tall dark haired woman who looks like she could kill a man with her bare hands. Yet her voice sounds like she could narrate a cartoon squirrel. Amy nods liking the woman.

"Does your mother lock you in there often?" The second officer asks a short portly dark haired man. His voice is deeper than you would think from his looks. They look like they could be a couple and it makes her smile.

"She called it the sin closet, it happened more often when I was younger. It was her way of putting me in time out." Amy explains.

"How long were you in the closet?" He asks.

"This time almost 36 hours." Amy croaks.

"Is that a normal amount of time for you to be locked in the closet?" Asks the woman officer.

"No, the longest I had ever been in before was an hour or two." Amy says picking at her blanket, her bandaged fingers hindering her dexterity.

"What did you do when you discovered you were locked in?" The man asks, and Amy almost laughs at the question. What did she do? She tried to get out of course.

"It was dark when I woke up, it was twilight when I went in. It was pitch black in there and no light was shining through the crack in the door. I knocked as hard as I could, screaming for my mother. I knocked and screamed until I fell asleep again. When I woke up again it was morning, I could see the light shining under the door. I knocked and screamed again and I saw her walk up to the door. Her feet paused at the door and I thought she was going to let me out. I begged her to, I apologized and begged to be let out. Instead she just walked away and went to work." Amy starts crying again at the memory of her mother walking away leaving her there. Amy was afraid she would die in there.

"What happened when she came back from work?" The woman asks.

"I had been trying all day to get out. Breaking of my fingernails trying to claw at this knothole on the door, trying to make it bigger. Then I tried to unscrew the doorknob using some dull scissors from a sewing kit that was in my pocket. All to no avail so I decided to conserve energy and sat very quiet and still. I thought if she saw how quiet and good I was being she would let me out. Or at least tell me when I could come out, bring me food, anything. I saw her feet walk by the door but she said nothing. Instead she went to her music room and played hymns all night long. Singing about being as pure as snow, and sinners being cast out." Amy rushes out.

"So twenty four hours at this point, no food, no water, no bathroom breaks?" The officer asks and Amy shakes her head.

"If Sheldon had not come I might still be there." Amy replies softly her voice cracking.

"Sheldon is your boyfriend, correct?" The officer asks not looking up from writing his notes.

"Yes." Amy replies with a hint of a smile.

"How did he know you were in there? Or that you needed to be rescued?" The officer asks curiously.

"Sheldon and I have been together almost eight months. I have called him everyday at 7:30 without fail. I pick him up for school at 7:45 every day. Sheldon needs things to be the same, to be scheduled. We even have our watches synced to tell the same time. So we never make each other late. When I was not showing up when he knew I should, he knew something was wrong." Amy replies.

"How did he get into the house?" Amy hesitates, technically what he had done was breaking and entering. The female police officer smiles kindly. "Don't worry, he's not in trouble." Something about her cherubic voice is reassuring so Amy forges on.

"There is a rose trellis by my window, I leave my window cracked so he can come in if he has a nightmare, or needs to talk. When I heard his voice I thought I was dreaming again. Then when I realized he was really in the house… "Amy trails off, seeing his face in the light after so many hours of darkness had been like seeing an angel. Sheldon was her white knight, her hero, her paladin.

"You're lucky he stopped by." The lady officer says feeling bad for this tiny pale girl. She had suffered such a great trauma but she was still trying to protect her mother. The door to her room opens and Sheldon walks back in.

"Here is the hero now, good job son." He says clapping Sheldon on the back. Sheldon cringes but does not tell him to move his hand.

"It looks like we have all we need for now. We will be in touch." The woman says and both the officers leave the room. Sheldon walks over to Amy's bed and sits in the chair beside her.

"Where's your mom?" She asks.

"She went home." He replies.

"Oh, I thought she would take you home." Amy says surprised.

"I'm not going home." He says firmly.

"Sheldon...You don't have to. I know places like this make you uncomfortable. You should of had your mom bring you back home. It's too far to walk, and I doubt you want to drive again."

"Amy I am staying in here as long as you are in here, and that's final." Sheldon says crossing his arms standing firm.

"What about school? I might not get out for a few days.?" Amy argues.

"I don't care about school, I have basically already graduated these last two weeks are a formality. You are more important to me. Amy what if you get a night terror? Who will be here to hold you and stroke your hair?" He says looking at her intensely. Amy smiles at him, her nights in the closet had been free of nightmares. Her brain in survival mode had switched to dreaming of him, the only place she felt safe.

"Alright you win, you can stay." Amy says and then winces as a pain shoots through her head.

"Amy, what happened ,are you okay?" He asks rushing to her side.

"Fine, just a headache." She tells him and he looks at her concerned."Come sit with me." She says scooting over and patting the space beside her.

"I don't want to get in trouble." He says nervously glancing at the door.

"Please?" She pouts poking out her bottom lip.

"Alright just for a little bit." He says his lanky frame fitting on the slim bed with ease. "Do you want me to sing to you? My mother always sang to me when I was sick." Amy nods her head and then rests it on his chest. Sheldon wraps his arm around her, careful not to mess with any wires.

"What are you going to sing to me?" She asks, instead of answering her he starts his song.

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur, happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr." His voice is a rich tenor and even though the song is silly his voice still moves her. He repeats the song one more time and the combination if the vibrations from his chest and his soothing voice are making her sleepy.

"I like that song, thank you. My mother would have sang something like 'We are all washed clean, in his blood.' That song always scared me a little."

"I'm not letting you go back there." He says is voice almost angry.

"To my mother?" She asks looking up at him and he shakes his head. Amy wants to rebel against him for a moment. Tell him he had to right to 'let' her do anything. However she knows in her heart he is just scared, and tired, and just wants to protect her.

"Your mom said I could stay with you or Memaw until we leave for college in the fall." Amy tells him.

"Is that okay with you? To stay with Memaw for a little while. I just want to make sure you're safe." He says looking desperate.

"Yeah, it's fine." She says even though she is a little worried. People sometimes tended not to like her no matter what she did. She did not want to wear out her welcome in the Cooper clan. Can you sing to me again?" She asks looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Fine one more time." He agrees and he sings her the song until she falls asleep on his chest.

 **I can see clearly now the angst is gone! Only fluffy stuff ahead… Time for some Summer loving!**

 **If you are on tumblr check out fragileshamyhearts cover of "I Can't Help Falling in Love." Inspired by this story.**


	21. Graduation Song

**Just a small update to get everyone caught up before summer time fun begins. Thank you to cutelittlelumofwool82 for being an awesome beta. Also to timai37 on IG for the cute little pucture she drew for the story.**

Constance Cooper had her reservations when Mary had called her and asked if Sheldon's girlfriend could live with her for a spell. As much as she loved her grandchildren. Sometimes she was happy to see them go home after a visit. Teenagers were loud, dirty and unruly. It was also not lost on her that the girl had taken her grandsons innocence.

However Mary made an appeal to the Christian in her. The girl had been through a terrible trauma. It was the right thing to do to offer her refuge in her home. The alternative would be her shacking up with Sheldon. She may not be young, but she was not old enough to be a great grandma yet. She had met Amy many times and had always liked the girl. Shelly was the apple of her eye and it was hard to deny him anything he asked for.

So for the last two weeks Amy had been living in her guest bedroom. She could not have asked for a better houseguest. Amy was quiet, clean and courteous. Often times leaving a room tidier than when she went into it. She helped make all the meals, did not mind driving her to the senior center for bingo or doing the grocery shopping. Best of all Sheldon came around every day to visit. George came over twice a week so she could tutor him. Even Missy came by more often to check up on Amy. As the grand kids got older it was harder and harder to get them to visit her. They had their own lives and Saturday Supper was the highlight of her week. Now she got to see her favorite kids almost everyday.

Even she had to admit that there was something special between the two of them. There was a bond that went beyond puppy love. No one in the world could tell Shelly what to do. He was his grandfather reborn, handsome as a devil, stubborn as a mule. Yet Amy had him wrapped around her little finger with a few simple words. They reminded her a lot of herself and her husband when they were courting. A man she would still be married to if he hadn't passed.

Today she is especially reminded of her and her husband as Amy tries to get Sheldon ready for graduation. At eight o'clock Mary had unceremoniously dropped Sheldon off at her doorstep completely exasperated.

"I got two other kids to get ready today. George is finally graduating too and this boy is on my last nerve," Mary told Meemaw when she opened the door. Handing her a gift bag with Sheldon's cap and gown inside it.

"What's he been doing honey?" she asked her confused, Sheldon was rarely the problem child.

"Mother is forcing me to get trampled," He says miserably.

"He is having a bit of stage fright about giving his speech today. Boy has had me up since four o'clock this morning ranting and raving," Mary says acrimoniously shoving him towards the door.

"You don't seem to understand! There will be hundreds of people there, what if there is a fire, what if they riot? I will be killed! I can't do it we have to cancel the whole graduation," Sheldon says in a panic.

"Why would the whole graduation have to be canceled?" Meemaw asks and he rolls his eyes.

"Meemaw! I am the valedictorian! How is the show supposed to go on without me?" He wails and Meemaw is dumbfounded.

"See if Amy can straighten him out," Mary pleads shoving Sheldon in the door.

"What's Amy going to do?" Meemaw asked as Sheldon walks inside the house. She's a little offended it was not her advice Mary was seeking.

"You just wait and see that girl has some kind of hold over him," Mary tells her as she starts walking away. "See you at graduation, if you can get him there," Mary yells getting into her car and driving away. Meemaw shakes her head and heads inside to see if she can't talk some sense into the boy but finds Amy is already trying to soothe him.

"You aren't going to faint Sheldon," Amy sighs adjusting his tie.

"Easy for you to say," He sniffs. "You don't have a fear of public speaking," He sighs closing his eyes and taking a deep breath and releasing it.

"It certainly is not my favorite thing to do, but remember the tricks we talked about? You can imagine the crowd with silly hats…" Amy reminds only to have Sheldon cut her off.

"That is just stupid," He scoffs and rolls his eyes.

"Or naked?" Amy whispers slyly and he blushes.

"Amy please!" He says scandalized, while nervously making sure his Meemaw didn't overhear such a saucy reply.

"Or just focus on one face in the crowd. Act like you are just giving the speech to that one person," Amy suggests.

"The one person I can imagine that working with would be you. You won't be in the crowd though, you will be beside me. You are the salutatorian," He was not trying to be sweet, he's simply stating a fact but it touches her none the less.

"Aww Sheldon," She says while blushing.

"That's It, we are just going to have to cancel graduation. The show can't go on without it's valedictorian," He says sullenly.

"You know you are right," Amy says sitting on the couch. Then she puts her head on the palm of her hand like she is thinking really hard. "Wait! I have the perfect solution!" She states excitedly.

"What?" Sheldon says curiously as he sits beside her.

"Since I am salutatorian, I will just have to take your place so the show can go on. I mean I was only a few points off of valedictorian anyways," She says straight faced. Which was not an easy task once she watches Sheldon's face change after hearing her solution.

"Yes that would.. What what?" He says snapping his head up.

"I will just take your place as valedictorian and you can stay here with Meemaw! I mean you will still get your diploma you just won't have to talk," Amy says confidently. While thinking.. 'I've got him now!'

"Amy if you think that I am going to give up valedictorian to you then you have another thing coming." He says hotly crossing his arms.

"Then I guess you will just have to deliver your speech then," Amy says shrugging her shoulders and looking at him smugly. He looks at her angrily for a moment before leaning over and kissing her nose.

"Thank you, even if that was blatantly manipulative. Now do you want to listen to me practice my commencement speech?" He asks with a small smile.

"Of course," She says smiling brightly.

"Do you Meemaw?" He asks her and she shakes her head yes as he whips out some index cards and begins his speech.

The whole time she had watched them in a stunned silence. Normally once Shelly had gotten into a tizzy that bad there was no turning it around. Amy had calmed him down with only a few words. That girl was truly a godsend. No one else would ever be able to handle her grandson like that she was sure of it. Sheldon for as much as she adored her moonpie, was special. It took someone with a lot of patience and a lot of love for him to be able to handle his quirks. When he had put a promise ring on Amy's finger she had been annoyed. When she found out they had sinned she was scandalized. Watching them now she wished they were old enough to just do the right thing and get married. She had been Amy's age when she married his grandfather. Times were different now however and if two seventeen year old's got married there would be talk. Still her mind wanders during his speech to the ring sitting in a velvet box in her vanity. Wondering if maybe just maybe, that heirloom had found a new home.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

George sits in the front row the third in line to go up on stage. He was planning something that would make this graduation one of the most memorable in a long time. The graduating class was small and he was just glad he was finally there. At the moment Amy was delivering her speech and he was transfixed. Over the last few weeks he had developed a bit of a crush on his brothers girlfriend. A fact that bothered him immensely. Sheldon always had the best of everything.

George did not get crushes on girls, girls had crushes on him. Since first grade girls had been passing him love notes. Batting their eyelashes at him, causally being wherever he may happen to be. Sheldon may have been a freak genius, but he had his own talents as well. If he wanted a girl, he could get her no questions asked. Except for Amy who was completely immune to his charms.

The day she had rebuffed him and then ended up in the hospital had made a mark on him. At first he had brushed her refusal off. Maybe that is why she liked his brother she didn't really want to be with a guy? Then that same day she had done his brother who he thought didn't like girls. He thought that maybe she had done it in response to him. That she had wanted to kiss him but she felt guilty about it, she had sex with Sheldon instead. It made him feel guilty thinking that Amy had suffered because of him. After what happened they told her she could stop tutoring him. Yet she insisted on continuing on, saying she had made a commitment and she would see it through. That now more than ever she was in their debt. George thought it might be for another reason. That she still agreed to teach him so she could see him more. George was grateful she still did because without her he would not be graduating.

Amy explained things in ways he could understand. If he did not understand she was happy to go back over it. When he found out that he had passed his exams and would be graduating. He found her in the hall and picked her up and swung her around. Amy had not liked that one bit, she yelled at him something fierce.

"Put me down! You ham fisted brute," She screamed as he swung her around.

"Come on Amy, I was just celebrating," He said setting her back down.

"Sheldon won't like that," She says huffing away. He didn't give a shit about what Sheldon thought. He wanted to know what she thought. If she thought his hands felt as good as her flesh had felt to him. He liked how feisty she was. Now it was almost a competition to him. His brother at bested him academically every way possible. Yet in the sports and women department he left Sheldon in the dust. It bothered him that there was something Sheldon had that he wanted.

Amy finishes her speech and sits down smiling broadly at Sheldon as the principal introduces him. Sheldon walks up to the podium nervously his eyes down never once looking at the audience as he begins . George had heard him practicing his speech the other day. Once he said something about the naked eye, it was George's time to shine. He listens to the boring speech intently waiting for his cue. When he hears the line just before he jumps up and runs on the stage. Running Up to Sheldon and opening up his gown, where on his chest is painted "congrats class of 1996" and he is wearing nothing else.

"Woo hoo Class of 1996!" He shouts flashing the crowd. The crowd erupts into screams and whistles. Sheldon just looks at him stunned and he can see Amy glaring at him with her arms crossed. He runs off the stage before the security guards can catch him. He runs to his car laughing his head off. Thinking about the sea of shocked faces.

"Hope you're proud of yourself." He hears his mother say. He turns around to see Mary with her arm's crossed tapping her foot. How she got to the car so fast was anyone's guess.

"Come on mama! It was funny!" He says pulling his spare clothes from his trunk.

"You know Junior we were prouder of you today then we were of Sheldon."

"Pfft." Junior says dismissively pulling on some sweatpants.

"Not pfft! It is true, For Shelly graduating high school is not a big accomplishment. Shelly doesn't have to work hard for good grades. It is all in his brain. Now you had to buckle down, study hard, and accept help from your brother's girlfriend. Memaw and I well our hearts were just bursting with pride."

"Thank you mama I…"

"But you had to go and ruin it with that little stunt of yours! Took a great opportunity and wiggled your little peter in it's face."

"I'm still going to graduate. They can't take my diploma away for that."

"Yeah well you took away the chance to see you walk the stage and shake hands with the principal from me. Now you just drive on home and think on what you did. I'll deal with you later."

George drives home with a sick feeling in his stomach. Instead of thinking about all the kids laughing and cheering him in. All he can see is Amy's angry glare and his mother's dissapointed words.

" I am an ass." He berates himself. Then he thinks of his mother's little peter comment and wonders what Amy thought about it.


	22. Kiss me

**Everyone is so mad at George! Well you might get madder at him, before it gets better. Thank you to cuteluttlelumpofwool82 for being the best beta. And for always being up to bounce an idea off of.**

Even after reserving the largest banquet hall the large Cooper clan can barely squeeze in. The whole family has come together to celebrate George and Sheldon graduating. The restaurant they boys both chose is a family style buffet. Amy does not think it is very fancy for a big celebration but she likes that. If her mother were here well she would have taken her to the one French restaurant in town and made her order in French. Even if the native Texan waiter would have no clue what she was saying. Her mother thirsted for the finer things in life. Wished they were more refined than they really were. This large casual gathering is quite a breath of fresh air.

Amy had actually never been to a buffet restaurant before. She takes her plate and wanders around eying the selection of food. Finally making herself a small well balanced plate with all food groups represented. When she returns to the table she sees Sheldon has two heaping platefuls of food. You would never know it by looking at his beanpole physique but he could pack away the food in prodigious amounts. If Amy ate as much as he did she would be as wide as she was tall. Mary stands up and clinks her spoon against her glass.

"Now before we eat let's all join hands and bow our heads in prayer," Mary says, everyone bows their heads. Sheldon grabs one of her hands and George who is seated beside her grabs the other. Their hands feel so different, Sheldon's long boned and graceful, soft yet strong. George's feel calloused and he grabs her hand so tightly it hurts. "Dear lord, we thank you today for the nourishment we are about to put in our bodies. We thank you for finally guiding our George through high school so he may begin a new path. Lord light him on this path so he can see his way. We thank you lord for blessing our Sheldon with his gifts, and may you see him on his way to the heathen state of California this fall. Finally lord we thank you for bringing us Amy. We are so proud of her for her accomplishments today and blessed to have her in our lives. In Jesus name we pray amen," Mary concludes and Amy blushed happily. She was not part of the family but it was nice of Mary to include her in the Graduation prayer.

"Amen!" The family choruses.

"So Junior you finally graduated! How long did it take you?" One of the uncles asks from across the table.

"I was two years behind," Junior says uncharacteristically quiet.

"Sheldon graduated early and you graduated late huh? Not that the school was complaining! Probably failed you on purpose to keep you on the football team! All that matters is now you finally did it!"

"What are your plans after graduation Georgie?" An older woman asks him.

"I don't know as of yet. Maybe go to mechanic school. I have been thinking…"

"I know Shelly got into that fancy school," She interrupts.

"Caltech, Amy is going there too Aunt Jeannie," Sheldon tells the woman and she claps her hands in delight.

"Oh that's just wonderful! Are ya'll two goin' get hitched before ya'll shack up together?" She asks looking at them seriously.

"We aren't shacking up," Sheldon sighs. "We will be in separate dorm rooms."

"Still ya'll should make it official before you succumb to the temptation of all those California sinners," Sheldon just shakes his head in exasperation until Missy rescues him.

"Forget future plans! It makes me too sad thinking I won't have either of my brothers at school with me next year! I will be all alone!" Missy pouts.

"Oh I am sure you will miss us so much," George says sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"I will! That's why we got to do something really fun to celebrate tonight!" Missy says.

"Now ya'll can have some friends over at the lake house. Just don't you bring no alcohol! " Meemaw warns.

"Of course not, we will behave ourselves," Junior says. "What about you guys ya'll coming?" He asks more to Amy than Sheldon.

"Actually we have something better planned for tonight, right Amy?" He asks wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh yeah," Amy agrees grinning at him.

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"Are you sure you don't want to go with us?" Missy asks her brother and Amy as they sit on opposite sides of the couch reading. When they said they had something better planned staying at home reading was not what she had pictured

"Not in the slightest" Sheldon says, turning the page of his book.

"You can come without him Amy, it would be a shame not to celebrate your graduation," George says winking at her but she doesn't catch it because her nose is buried in her book.

"I don't feel much like celebrating, since my mother is in the hospital. Also what we are doing now is more fun than any party," Amy tells him tartly without looking up.

"I understand Amy, it must be hard not having your mother here for this. Even with all the stuff she did she's still your mother," Missy says comforting her and Amy looks at her gratefully.

"Why are ya'll two reading the same book?" George asks confused.

"This is the best part we both read the same book then afterwards we have an in depth discussion and analysis of what we just read," Sheldon says brightly, looking over at Amy and smiling at her like she is the best thing in the world.

"An in depth analysis of…" Missy tilts her head to read the book in Amy's hand. "Harry Potter? What is that book even about?" She asks curiously.

"It's about a boy wizard named Harry who…" Sheldon begins. Then glares at George when he interrupts him.

"Sounds like a kids book," George scoffs, still not understanding how this tops a graduation party.

"It's one of the best selling books in Great Britain right now. We had to special order our copies," Amy says snippily. George can tell she is annoyed with him and for some reason that only makes him want her more.

"So a book about some dingbat boy witch is better than the biggest party in Galveston?" George asks dumbfounded.

"In what universe would this book not be better than a small room filled with drunk rowdy people?" Sheldon counters while shaking his head in haughty derision.

"Anyways, thanks for your kind offer but we shall have to pass," Amy says. While offering Missy a polite smile and ignoring George completely.

"Suit yourselves," George sniffs, walking out of the room quickly and opening the front door roughly.

"Ya'll have fun, behave yourselves!" Missy teases them, even though she can't think of anything tamer than staying at home and reading books.

Missy follows George out to his truck he looks pissed and she can't imagine why. He finally graduated and pulled off a fantastic senior prank. People would be talking about him for years now, he was legendary. Missy gets in the passenger side and buckles up. George starts his truck and peels out of the driveway.

"George! Stop! Why are you going so fast?" Missy squeals as he rounds the corner fast making her bump into the door.

"I don't get it? Why would they rather stay home and read than go out to a party?" He growls.

"They're nerds George! Sometimes they come out of their nerdy shell. Most of the time they prefer to stay firmly in," Missy says annoyed at his reckless driving. "Why do you care anyway?" She sighs.

"I don't care… It just bothers me that Amy has to miss out on something because Sheldon is such a dweeb," George tells her spitting outside the trucks window.

"Again why do you care? You are acting like you are sweet on Amy or something," Missy says laughingly. Then Missy catches a quick flicker of emotion on his face and she knows it's true.

"You do like her! Eww! Just Eww!" Missy yells, throwing an empty McDonald's cup from the floorboards at him.

"Why is it Eww? I thought you liked Amy?" He asks seriously, barely dodging the cup as it flies out the open window.

"I like Amy just fine. In fact I love her and Sheldon together. I just can't get behind this. But I won't have to get behind it because it ain't ever gonna happen," Missy scoffs.

"Why not?" He asks, annoyed by her answer.

"Because Amy has zero interest in you. You have zero real interest in her. You know that kind of thing," Missy says, rolling her eyes at her brothers dimness.

"I like her, she really grew on me when she was tutoring me," George says softly.

"Junior, you only like her because she is Sheldon's. If Sheldon was not dating her and she was asked to tutor you, you would not even notice her. Or you would say something rude like ask mama why you could not have a hot tutor. You have always wanted what Shelly had no matter what it was. Amy might as well be that stretch armstrong toy ya'll used to fight over. Only Amy ain't going to stretch between ya'll until she snaps and goo comes outta her," She states haughtily.

"Amy might want to try me out for awhile. Find out what a real man is like," George says confidently.

"Well for one you think you are a real man.. pfft. Secondly that's just it you would get her and then never want her again," Missy replies snippily.

"So you do think I could get her?" George huffs, his grip on the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turn white.

"I think that there are not many girls that have not succumb to your charms. I also think Amy ain't going to be one of them," She says seriously.

"I could get her," George mutters gruffly.

"I don't think so… Once we were looking at magazines and I showed her a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio and a picture of Billy Joe Armstrong. Then I asked her who she thought was cuter. You know what she said?" Missy says with amusement.

"What?" He asks. "That both their facial symmetry was pleasing but their appearance was too unkempt to be attractive. Amy has one type and that type is Sheldon," She replies. George looks like he is considering her words. Then he looks over at her with his devilish look.

"I bet you that I can get her. If I can get Amy to kiss me willingly this summer then you have to give me your room. I hate living in the room over the garage, it is freezing in the winter and hot as balls in the summer," George says smugly.

"Alright, what do I get when you fail as hard as I know you will?" Missy says slyly, normally she would be opposed to such a stupid contest, but she knows nothing would ever make Amy kiss George ever.

"What do you want?" George asks warily.

"Hmm," Missy says tapping her chin and thinking.

"How about I kick Jason Anderson's ass, like you asked me to do after ya'll broke up and I refused?" George asked thinking about his friend who had done her wrong.

"Ah, I don't care about that ass anymore," Then It comes to her, there is nothing she wants from George. But there is something Sheldon has wanted from George since they were eight years old. Seeing as though this bet was being made at his expense it was only fair that he profit from it. "If I win you have to concede to Sheldon that he is the greatest ninja in all of east Texas and give him back that black belt he made himself," Missy replies, overly sweet just to annoy him.

"Missy I don't know if I even have that still…" He replies hesitantly.

"We both know you still have it, if I win he gets it back. So let's set the timeline you have from now until say August 1st to get Amy to kiss you. You can't kiss her! Amy has to be the one to kiss you, like in The Little Mermaid it has to be true love's first kiss," Missy teases.

"I ain't ever seen that shit," George snaps.

"Oh please, I've heard you singing Part of Your World before," Missy says, rolling her eyes at him.

"Only because you played the damn movie a million times!" He yells defensively.

"Do we have a bet or not?" She asks with a raised eyebrow.

"You got it," George says holding out his hand and they shake on it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amy is glad to finally be alone with Sheldon. His grandmother may let her see him more but she was on them like white on rice. Today had been great but she missed her mom not being there. Sheldon's family took up half the bleachers. When Sheldon crossed the stage the sounds of claps and whistles was deafening. There had been no one in the crowd to cheer for her but she did hear Mary and Meemaw whoop and whistle.

Amy tries to focus on her book but the day had been exhausting. She looks over at Sheldon he is still staring at his book but his eyes aren't moving. Amy guesses that he to is bored with what's on the page. So she scoots over and lays her head on his lap facing upwards resting her book on her belly. He looks down at her from under his book and smiles.

"Comfy?" He asks raising his eyebrow.

"Very," She says smiling brightly. He goes back to read his book. Or at least pretending to read it and Amy does the same.

"You did not want to go to that party right?" He asks her.

"There is nowhere I would rather be right now than here with you," She confirms looking up at his face, he is gazing down at her and they just look at each other for awhile.

Sheldon's face always so serious Amy wonders what he's thinking about. Amy is thinking about a lot of things. About how perfect this moment is right now. How she wishes they could stay like this forever. How everything was going to change soon, and it scared her. Here they were the big fish in a small pond. The only two genesis in this town, they were an island unto themselves. When they went to college it would be different. There would be lots of geniuses, other girls just as smart as her. Even going to the small school they would be seeing less of each other. Sheldon would be going for physics and she was there for biology. They would be staying in different dorms. Maybe he would meet another girl, a prettier girl, a girl who was going for the same major as him. It scared her to think about.

"What are you thinking about?" He asks her, he always had the uncanny ability to know when something was troubling her mind.

"I was thinking about how everything is changing. Worrying about what would happen if some brilliant girl at school steals you away from me," She answers honestly and he looks taken aback.

"Amy, there is only you, there will only ever be you, you know that," He tells her picking up her hand and absently twirling the ring on her finger. Amy reaches up with her free hand and cups his face never losing eye contact.

"It's not you I worry about… It's the other girls. They may not be able to help themselves," Amy whispers.

"I think you think more highly of me then I deserve," He scoffs, the notion of other girls throwing themselves at him was absurd. "It is you that I have to worry about. In fact I believe my brother George has taken a liking to you," He says worriedly.

"Ewww… That's gross," Amy says, wrinkling her nose.

"The rest of the female persuasion may disagree with you. George seems to be quite popular among the ladies," Sheldon huffs.

"Maybe before he showed the whole school what he was working with. Just another department you have him beat in," Amy tells him giggling.

"Amy!" He exclaims embarrassed, but then he looks down at her laughing face and he is overcome with love for her. He can't help himself as he bends down and kisses her while she caresses his face stroking his cheek with her thumb. The kiss deepens and she runs her hand up the back of his neck. Tangling her fingers into his short hair. He keeps on arm wrapped around her back cradling her. The other travels down her body, when his hand reaches the hem of her skirt she stops him. Breaking away from the kiss and looking at him apologetically.

"We shouldn't, I mean your mother and grandmother have been so generous letting me stay here. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize their trust," She explains and he smiles at her.

"Of course you are right, I understand," He says, coming back to his senses.

"Good," She says kissing him again. "It doesn't mean we can't still do this… I just think we should wait a little bit," She replies softly.

"I'm fine with just this," He assures her kissing her again. Moving his hand from her knee and up to her tummy. He meant what he said, he was fine with just kissing her. Yet in the back of his mind he wondered just how long Amy intended to make him wait.


	23. Don't Speak

**It's hiatus time ya'll! I will be writing this all summer lots of shamy summer loving. A big Thank you to my favorite beta cutelittlelumpofwool82.**

The second week into summer Meemaw was called away to tend to her sick sister. Since she would only be gone a few days Amy decided to stay at the house and keep it up for her while she was gone. Missy comes and stays with Amy while Meemaw is away so she won't get lonely. Amy is a little confused when Missy tells her they will spend their first day laying out by the pond.

"What's laying out?" Amy asks Missy over the phone.

"You know getting your swimsuit and laying in a chair in the yard to soak up the sun. We can listen to music and read magazines it will be fun," Missy tells her.

"I don't know if I even have a bathing suit," Amy tells her.

"You are from Cali and you don't have a bikini?" Missy asks truly shocked.

"I'm not your typical California girl. I don't know what type of girl I am," Amy sighs.

"Well don't worry you can borrow one of mine," Missy tells her. "Come pick me up tomorrow after I wake up does that sound good?"

"Yeah, I have to drive Sheldon somewhere in the morning so that will be fine," Amy agrees.

The next day after Amy drops Sheldon off she goes back to the house to pick up Missy. Missy starts packing up Amy's car. She brings two hot pink beach chairs, a giant tote bag, two beach towels, a huge stack of magazines, boombox, and a giant file folder of cd's. Then she hands Amy a red and white floral two piece swimsuit.

"I ordered this from Delia's catalog and it looked just plain awful on me, but I think it might be cute on you. Boy shorts and a halter top are just not flattering on me," Missy tells her and Amy holds out the swimsuit skeptically. She doubts it will look any better on her.

They drive to Meemaw's house and Missy unpacks the car while Amy goes to change. Amy tries on the swimsuit Missy gave her and frowns in the mirror. It is not too revealing she supposes. The shorts hit the top of her thighs and cover her belly button. The top covers her breasts without revealing her cleavage. Yet picturing her short pale body next to Missy's statuesque tan one gives her anxiety. So she digs out a long sleeved gauzy black dress she wore as a cover up the one time she went to the beach. She still had a swimsuit too but she knew Missy would make fun of the belted, skirted one piece she had rescued from her grandmother's trash pile. Amy walks outside after she gets dressed and Missy looks at her disappointed.

"Amy is that what you're wearing?" Missy says looking her up, and down skeptically. "Don't you want to show more skin? It's going to be awfully hot out."

"If I am going to be in the sun for a prolonged period of time, why would I want to show more skin?" Amy asks confused.

"I don't know, so you can get a sexy tan?" Missy says putting her hands on her hips and tilting her head.

"There is nothing sexy about basal cell carcinoma," Amy says seriously and Missy rolls her eyes.

"Fine, come on let's go set up," Missy says grabbing her tote bag and a folding chair.

Amy grabs the other chair and follows her out to a small pond on the back of Meemaw's property. Missy sets up her lounge chair and sits on the edge rubbing suntan oil over her body then hands the bottle to Amy. Who takes it then wrinkles her nose.

"This sunblock doesn't have any SPF protection whatsoever. You should consider one with at least a 50 SPF," Amy warns.

"It's not sunblock, it's suntan lotion! It's gonna make me browner than a little bear," Missy replies. While setting up her boombox and choosing a cd to listen to. "You got any song requests?" Missy asks and Amy shakes her head no. Missy shrugs her shoulders and pops in a cd.

"So you aren't worried about the sun's damaging rays at all?" Amy asks unfolding her chair and laying down. The music Missy is playing is twangy country tinged pop. Missy is happily singing along to a song Amy has never heard it before.

"I'll worry when I am older," Missy tells her lounging on her chair and pulling out a magazine. Amy pulls out a book and begins to read. The magazine soon bores Missy so she turns to Amy. "Where's lover boy? He was gone by the time I woke up this morning," She asks .

"Not surprising since you don't wake up until noon," Amy giggles and Missy gives her a teasing glare. "Actually it is pretty exciting where he is. Rice University asked if he could do some summer workshop's with them. I drove him there this morning and your mom will pick him up this evening. He will be doing them bi weekly all summer. Lots of students are eager to meet the boy wonder who is Sheldon Cooper," Amy states excitedly.

"So he is like famous?" Missy asks.

"In certain circles of the academic community he is a bit of a rock star actually. Boy genius who even without an academic background is breaking glass ceilings. Sheldon is on pace to win a Nobel prize. There is no telling where he would be if he had been allowed to graduate earlier." She says proudly.

"There are rock star scientists?" Missy asks dumbfounded.

"Oh yes!" Amy nods enthusiastically. "As a girl I had a poster of Nikolai Tesla on my wall," She says grinning.

"So you ain't attracted by looks, you like boys with big brains?" Missy teases and Amy looks like she is considering her question.

"I suppose you could say that. Although I think Sheldon is the most beautiful boy I have ever seen. The first day I saw him, on my first day of school here… I was just head over heels in love. I went home and wrote in my diary about seeing a boy who looked like he was ripped from a history book. How unfair it was that I finally discover I like boys and there was no chance he would ever feel the same for me," Amy says wistfully.

"Wait? Like you thought you were a lesbian?" Missy asks curiously.

"No, not exactly. See my desire for males and females to like me were equal. I had crushes in a way, on both the head cheerleader and the captain of the football team. My need to be accepted was ravenous. I did not feel anything sexual towards either, but I wanted them both to love me," Amy explains.

"Like be your friend and not tease you?" Missy asks and Amy shakes her head yes and continues.

"The only boys I ever had feelings for were boys in books, like Mr. Darcy, or Rochester. I thought maybe I was lacking something," She says thoughtfully.

"Darcy is Pride and Prejudice right? Colin Firth is such a hottie!" Missy states while fanning herself with a magazine.

"So is young Orson Wells surprisingly I will show the movie too you sometime," Amy tells Missy before continuing. "Then I met Sheldon, and all those confused feelings melted into one boy. Sometimes it scares me the depth of feeling I have for your brother. Like if we were to break up, I might never be the same. I would be like Ms. Havisham mourning what could have been," Amy finishes wiping her eyes.

"Shelly ain't never gonna break up with you," Missy tells her, surprised by the honesty in Amy's confession. It must have been hard for her to say. Even if Missy did not understand some of the references she understood what she was saying. For Amy her brother was her one and only.

"Not right now anyways, yet our whole lives lay before us. Everything can change in a blink of an eye," Amy says introspective. "I'm sorry I'm being a bummer. I've been known to do that you don't have to hang around me. I will go inside and leave you in peace," Amy says getting up.

"Don't you go nowhere," Missy says pointing at her and Amy sits back down.

"What if I told you the captain of the football team did like you? Well former captain…" Missy says with a raised brow.

"What? You mean George? Gross," Amy scoffs.

"I know! I told him that pining after his brothers girl was just plain wrong. But the heart wants what the heart wants and his heart wants you," Missy shares.

"His heart wants me because he feels this weird constant competition with Sheldon like no matter what he does it will never measure up to what his little brother does. George feels by conquering me he will be gaining some metaphorical leg up on his brother," Amy states matter a factly.

"You should do that for a living. I think you have that sized up about right," Missy says to her impressed.

"I want to study the human brain. Figure out what makes us… Well us…" Amy replies.

"Isn't that a bit like playing God?" Missy asks.

"I don't believe in God," Amy says and it feels freeing to say it out loud for the first time. Sheldon knew, but he knew everything about her.

"Well anyways, George and I made a bet," Missy reveals carefully.

"What kind of bet?" Amy asks suspiciously.

"I bet him that he could not get you to kiss him. If he wins and you kiss him then we switch rooms. If I win and you don't he has to declare Sheldon the greatest ninja in all of East Texas," Missy giggles, but Amy fails to find the humor.

"That is horrible!" Amy says aghast. "What would make you do that? I thought we were friends?" Amy says feeling hurt.

"We are! Don't you see how awesome this is?" Missy asks and Amy shakes her head no. "Okay let me try to explain. You don't have any siblings so it may be hard for you to understand. I am like the middle child, Sheldon may be like five minutes older but for all intensive purposes they treat him like the baby," Missy sighs.

"Intents and purposes, but please continue," Amy corrects.

"George is the oldest, dad's favorite, the sports star. Sheldon is the baby, the megamind, mom and Meemaw's favorite. Then there is just me the only girl, no one's favorite. I've had to fight and claw for every scrap of attention I got. What with George being such a troublemaker and Sheldon well being Sheldon. I never really got much attention," Missy finishes.

"So what you are using me to get attention?" Amy asks confused.

"No not at all!" Missy protests. "Okay maybe a little, but don't you see life has been one giant pissing match for these two. Now there is a battle to settle the score," She says relived.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Amy asks taken aback. "I don't like the idea of being sexually harassed at the expense of a bet," She says uncomfortably.

"That's the best part you have to kiss him! He can't lay a finger on you. The bet is off if he tries to kiss you, it has to be your idea," Missy tells her, thinking it really was genius she threw that loophole in.

"I don't like being put in the middle of this," Amy huffs. "Why is George after me anyways? I am sorry but I'm not his type and he's not mine," Before Missy can answer George swaggers up to them wearing his red lifeguard shorts and a white tank. George had lifeguarded at the pool for two summers now. It was the reason Missy stuck to Meemaw's pond and not the community pool. A summer of watching George hit on her friends was just painful.

"What are you doing here George? You are supposed to be at work," Missy remarks not looking up at him.

"The pool manager and I had a disagreement and I was asked to leave," He says gruffly.

"You got canned," Missy deadpans.

"I did not get canned we had a disagreement on whether I could use company time to make out with Ashley Andrews. I was asked to go home and think about it," George says while smirking. "Turn off this Shania Twain shit, it's gonna make my ears bleed," Missy gives him the middle finger and turns up her music even louder.

"So you can go back to work," Amy asks loudly over the music.

"No but…" George says shrugging.

"George! Momma is going to be so mad that you got fired," Missy tsks finally turning down the music. "She called in favors to get you that job," She says frustratingly.

"Well now you can go back to the pool, Don't think I don't know you've been avoiding me," George says sitting on the edge of Missy's lounge chair and lighting a cigarette.

"If it were me scamming on all your friends you'd feel the same way," Missy tells him.

"Can you believe her Amy?" He asks her then he looks at her for the first time. Then does a double take. "Why are you dressed like an Amish person?" He asks eyeing her critically.

Amy rolls her eyes both at the comment and the smoke wafting near her eyes. Kiss him? Please? His mouth would taste like an ashtray from the cigarettes and the tobacco he chews. The idea of his mouth on hers actually makes her want to vomit a little.

"You may be content to speed up the onset of cancer. I however am going to do everything in my power to prevent it," She sniffs waving away his cigarette smoke.

"You should wear something like Missy does," He says pointing to Missy's neon purple bikini. "Get some color on ya girl!" He says ignoring her comments about preventing cancer.

"I'm a color, I'm porcelain and I am fine with that thank you very much," Amy snips wishing he would just go away.

"Ya'll two want some cokes?" He asks brushing off Amy's remark and getting back up so the smoke wouldn't bother her as much.

Amy had learned in Texas a coke could mean any kind of soda. But the day was hot and she was thirsty so she says yes. Missy agrees telling him she wished she had brought out the cooler. George is gone awhile then he comes back with a small cooler under his arm and two glasses of amber liquid with ice. Amy downs it gratefully noting it was spicier than she remembered coke being. Of course her mother never really allowed her to have much soda. Everytime she drank one the taste shocked her.

"You want another one?" George asks her and Amy shakes her head yes handing him the glass.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The day had been an unmitigated disaster. Sheldon doubted whether he would be asked to return next week. The students in the workshop resented being taught by someone who was barely older than themselves. Sheldon resented having to cater to mediocre minds.

His mother was mad when he had to call her to come get him a full four hours before expected. The whole way home she berated him in the car. Telling him it was okay to be smarter than everyone else but he didn't have to always tell everyone. Mary dropped him off at Meemaw's and told him to behave himself the rest of the day. What trouble he would get into at his grandmother's house he had no idea. When he first arrives he is annoyed to see that no one is in the house. Then he walks out back and hears the loud voices of his siblings. He thought Missy might be over but the presence of George is baffling. He walks out to the pond, feeling very cross. He hated it by the pond, it's hot and buggy.

"Sheldon!" He hears Amy yell as she launches herself at him. Amy wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into a passionate kiss. Normally he would be embarrassed by such an overt display of affection. Yet after the day he had he welcomes the kiss. Pulling her closer to him and lifting her off her feet. Only stopping when Missy clears her throat loudly.

"Okay, ya'll are even making me blush! Get a room will ya'!" She teases them.

"What are you doing here? I thought that you weren't going to be back until this evening," Amy says blushing, while taking his arm and leading him to her lounge chair. Sheldon sits on the edge resting his elbows on his long legs.

"They asked me to leave because I was not showing the other students 'proper respect'," Sheldon sighs making air quotes around proper respect, while Amy rubs his back to comfort him.

"Brother like brother, George got canned today too," Missy informs him looking up from her magazine with a devilish grin.

"I was not canned!" Sheldon and George both say at the same time.

"See ya'll should be the twins," Missy giggles a little tipsy from the drink George made her. Amy shakes her head vigorously no. Her hat flopping off her head in the process.

"No! Sheldon is much better looking," Amy squeals hugging Sheldon from behind and kissing his neck.

"What has gotten into you woman?" Sheldon asks, looking over his shoulder both shocked and amused. Amy just grins at him mischievously and kisses his cheek.

"Too much sun and coke," George tells him winking. "You want a coke Sheldon?"

"It is awfully warm out here. I could do with a cold beverage," Sheldon replies.

"You got it," George says getting up and making finger guns at him. Not happy one bit that Sheldon was home so early. Also irritated that Amy was being so affectionate with Sheldon.

Amy gets off Sheldon retrieves her hat and lays back on her chair. Sheldon takes off his sports coat and lays it beside him. Then he loosens his tie and pulls it off. Amy sits back up reaching around him and helps him unbutton his dress shirt and pulling it off his shoulders revealing his white undershirt. The act seems very intimate and it makes Missy a bit uncomfortable. So she busies herself with changing the cd to give them some semblance of privacy. The way they act together makes Missy wish she wasn't single anymore. She wanted a boyfriend to cuddle and look at her the way her brother looked at Amy. Yet in all the years she had dated not one boy had ever looked at her the way Sheldon looked at Amy.

"Amy this is your song!" Missy squeals remembering how much Amy liked the song "Just a Girl." By No Doubt when she played it in her car.

In fact Amy had liked the whole cd and every time they were in the car together she asked to play it. George comes back with a large cup for Sheldon and he gulps it down gratefully as

Missy and Amy sing along to the music.

"So I was thinking… we should have a party!" George says taking a sip of his drink.

"Absolutely not!" Amy yells. "Constance trusted me to watch the house while she was out of town. You guys have a party, she will still love you, you are her grandkids. I have a party I will get tossed out on the street.." Amy tells them.

"Meemaw would not toss you out!" Missy says. "But Amy is right she barely agreed to let me come over. We will be in a world of trouble if we have a party," Missy warns.

"Let me get everyone a drink," George says popping back up again gathering the empty cups and walking away.

"He should get a job as a waiter. He sure likes getting drinks,"Amy comments drily.

"Probably the only job he can ever get," Sheldon snorts derisively.

Missy wants to tell them off for being so snobby. Her weekend job was hostessing at Fuddruckers and she was very proud of it. She had to remind herself that these two would wind up being doctors and rocket scientists. That they did not think the way everyone else did.

"It's hot out here," Amy complains fanning herself.

"You are wearing all black. You know as well as I do that black absorbs heat," Sheldon tells her, he is just wearing a white undershirt and he is still hot.

"You're right," Amy says starting to pull off the dress and he stops her.

"I didn't mean get naked!" He says panicked.

"Sheldon relax! I am wearing a bathing suit!" Amy tells him lifting it up revealing the white and red floral two piece.

Then Amy pulls the dress over her head and sits up on the lounge chair cross legged beside him. Sheldon just stares at her running her fingers through her long hair making him gulp hard. He wants to tell her to put the dress back on, not wanting his brother to see her. Then again he liked the view very much so he decides to say nothing. Until his brother comes back out and eyes Amy appreciatively.

"There you go girl! Get some sun on you," He says handing her another drink. Sheldon glares at him and is about to tell him off for ogling his girlfriend when Amy yells suddenly.

"Ooo my song!" Amy turns and leans over to turn up the volume. Which causes both brothers to choke on their drinks when they get a view of her behind. Causing Missy to look over her sunglasses and roll her eyes at her brothers.

"I thought the other one was your song?" Sheldon asks confused, still coughing a bit but slowly regaining his composure.

"The other song was mine and Missy's girl power anthem," Amy tells him seriously. "This one is my favorite song," She says grinning.

Sheldon has never heard it before, he is not really a fan of popular music. Neither was Amy until his sister corrupted her. Then Amy surprises him further by beginning to sing along with the song, or rather singing it directly to him. It embarasses him a little, so he takes a big gulp of his drink and gives her a you're crazy look. It does nothing to stop her enthusiasm for the song. Sheldon has no idea what has gotten into his normally demure girlfriend. Half naked and singing to him like a showgirl in front of his siblings. Yet her voice is very good and he finds her singing very pleasant. Sheldon soon finds himself transfixed by his girlfriend, like it's just them out there.

"Hush hush darling, don't tell me cuz it hurts," She begins singing to him placing her finger lightly over his lips as she croons to him looking directly into his eyes all the while leaning in closer. Just when it looks like they are about to kiss again George busts out laughing.

"You don't handle your booze very well do ya'? Three weak ass drinks and you turn into Gwen Stefani!" He says knocking back the rest of his drink. Feeling very jealous of his brother and a little turned on by her show.

"There was alcohol in those cokes?" Amy asks him stunned.

"Rum and coke! What did you think I meant when I asked if you wanted a coke?" He laughs.

"Just plain coke!" Amy shouts angrily. Now that she thinks about it her coke did taste very much like the one she had at the party they had months ago… George had made those too!

"Did mine have rum in it too?" Sheldon asks then he shakes his head. "Of course it did, I thought it tasted like Daddy's special coke." He says gruffly. Not appreciating that his dimwit brother spiked not only his but his girlfriend's drink.

"Missy did you know?" Amy asks accusingly.

"Honey, I thought you knew! We are having fun and relaxing! Ain't no one driving anywhere what's the harm in a few drinks?" Missy asks taking another sip of her drink and shrugging her shoulders. "We are having such a good time."

"You know I don't drink," Sheldon says pouring out the rest of his drink and Amy does the same.

"Come on Sheldon let's go cool off," Amy says getting up and walking huffily towards the water. Amy walks down on the little dock and sits down angrily dangling her feet in the water. Sheldon follows her and sits down beside her their backs turned to Missy and George.

"Just had to get jealous and ruin everything didn't you?" Missy tells George as he takes Amy's vacated seat. "When was the last time all three of us just hung out together and just had fun?" Missy glares.

"I ain't jealous, I just didn't want to see them make out again. Once today was enough," George defends pretending to stick his finger down his throat and gag.

"That is the definition of jealous George," Missy says rolling her eyes. "You might as well go down there and declare Sheldon the greatest ninja right now. Amy is never ever going to kiss you," Missy sighs.

"She might of, if the beanpole hadn't shown up and ruined everything," George says. Taking a long drink while scowling at Sheldon who was whispering something to Amy and making her laugh.

"Nope!" Missy laughs. "Oh and by the way plying her with alcohol is against the rules. That is cheating and you know it. You know what let's just end this bet. You ain't gonna win, and I don't want to see Shelly or Amy get hurt with you trying." Missy says seriously.

"I ain't gonna hurt no one! And there is more than one way to skin a cat. Just you wait, by the end of this summer I will get that kiss," George says confidently.

"I don't care, cuz I ain't gonna be a part of this bet no more," Missy tells him.

"We'll just see about that," George says getting up and walking away. Missy had no idea what he meant by that and she doesn't really want to find out.

 **A couple of you have been asking what happened with Amy's mom. Don't worry I have'nt forgotten, getting to it next chapter. I thought we al deserved a drama break. Thank you so mych for all the reviews! They let me know what ya'll want.**


	24. Today

We are moving up to a M rating dudes. Thank you to my beta Cutelittlelumpofwool82

Sheldon joined Amy begrudgingly on the dock. Thinking that if she really wanted to cool off she would go inside where there was an air conditioner and no bugs. He is about to tell her as much when he notices that she is crying. He hates it when she cries, he is completely out of his depth when she is emotional.

"Amy what's wrong?" He says awkwardly trying to pat her back. Then stopping when his hand makes contact with her bare skin.

"Oh, just everything," Amy sniffs wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Everything is a lot can you give me the highlights?" He asks concerned. Amy gives him a wry smile through the tears.

"I made a fool of myself singing to you, and not to mention the way I was hanging all over you… In front of Missy and George!" She bemoans hiding her reddened face in her hands.

"You have a lovely singing voice. No one besides my mother has ever sang to me before I quite enjoyed it actually," He says honestly. He didn't see the big deal it sure beat Missy's caterwauling that he's had to endure over the years. As for the affection… It was quite nice even though he would have preferred to be alone with Amy.

"It's just that back there, with your brother and sister teasing me. It felt like back home in California when all the kids used to make fun of me. Maybe it's normal, maybe friends just tease each other like that but I wouldn't know. That bet they made doesn't help matters either," She sighs and hiccups.

"What bet?" Sheldon asks curious eyebrows furrowed.

"You didn't know?" She asks, when he shakes his head no she explains. "George bet Missy that he could get me to kiss him by the end of summer," Amy sighs. It was all completely ridiculous she still couldn't understand George's fixation she has never once encouraged him.

Sheldon feels the blood rush to his head. He can hear the blood pounding in his ears. Never has he ever been so mad in his entire life. He feels like he could punch a hole through the wooden dock they are sitting on. Like he wants to rush over to George and give him two black eyes this time. Yet violence has never solved anything. So instead he clenches his fists and takes a deep breath.

"What the hell?" He says through gritted teeth, looking over his shoulder angrily at Missy and George who were deep in conversation. Looking back at Amy he asks, "Missy is going along with this Goddamn thing?" Amy's eyes widen at him. Sheldon has never used swear words, yet he had just used two in one sentence. Mary would kill him if she heard him take the Lord's name in vain.

"She says only because I would never actually do it…" She says sullenly, looking at him through wet lashes and wiping tears from her cheeks.

"You're damn right you would never actually do it!" Sheldon interrupts. "What do they stand to gain from this cockammamy bet?" He demands, while taking a handkerchief out of his pants pocket and offering it to her.

"George wants Missy's room. The only thing Missy gains by me not kissing George is him declaring you the greatest ninja in East Texas, whatever that means." She says shrugging her shoulders taking the handkerchief gratefully.

"The one thing I have wanted since I was eight years old," Sheldon says wistfully. "Looks like I will finally see that happen. God I wish I was a ninja then I could kill him. Seventeen years of experience however tells me that in a physical altercation I am no match for George. Otherwise I would kill him right now," Sheldon says angrily.

"In a meeting of the minds however you would best him every time," Amy tells him, trying to calm him down. Although she did secretly love that he wanted to defend her honor once again.

"I don't know how that will help me now," He groans while raking his hand through his hair frustratingly. Amy scoots closer and holds his hand giving it a comforting squeeze.

"You'll think of something… I mean it's no contest. I would never ever kiss him he disgusts me. He tried to ply me with alcohol and that still didn't work. Which reminds me of the other reason I am upset. If Constance finds out I was drinking she might kick me out," Sheldon finds it a little disturbing that she calls his Meemaw by her first name but he brushes it off.

"Meemaw would never kick you out, she loves you. Anyway even if she did you could just come stay with me. You know I have a trundle bed," Sheldon says winking at her and kissing her head.

"I am sure your mother would trust that I would stick to the trundle," Amy teases him and he shrugs his shoulders and smirks at her.

"Okay she might have you fitted for a chastity belt first. Still you could stay with me, college is only a few months away," Amy smiles at him, but then her smile turns to a frown as she remembers the news she has yet to share with him.

"It's not that simple… Sheldon she's getting out next week," Amy says softly as the tears start again.

"Your mother? I thought that she was in a mental facility?" He asks confused.

"She is but they can only keep her for a month. They say she is better, that what happened was due to undiagnosed bipolar disorder. That she had a nervous breakdown and was not in control of her actions. Mother claims she doesn't remember anything about that night. That she blacked out and was in a trance like state," She says carefully knowing this was a sore issue with Sheldon.

"I'm sorry but that is complete bull spit!" Sheldon says angrily, even without his eidetic memory he would never forget finding her in that closet. Her mother should be rotting in a jail cell, not living it up in a fancy mental health facility in Houston.

"Just another reason I want to study the brain," Amy jokes trying to break the tension. "Anyways, since I am a minor Constance had to file for temporary custody. If she kicks me out, or if they find my mother is fit to care for me again. I will have no choice but to leave with her, and I already know mother is planning on going back to California once she's released," Her voice cracking at the thought of having to leave Sheldon. "I mean she has the trial still… But her lawyer seems to think she will get off. To be honest Sheldon I don't think I have it in me to testify against her."

"They can't let you go back to her! I won't let you, we'll find out a way for you to stay no matter what," He says solemnly and Amy scoots closer to him and rests her head on his shoulder.

They stare out into the water for a while not speaking. Both of their minds full trying to sort things out. Sheldon was racking his brain trying to puzzle out a solution to either one of her dilemmas.

Why was George pursuing her so heavily? The slap on her behind had been enough but this was beyond the pale. If he was doing it just to wound Sheldon he was succeeding. George had tried many things over the years to get his goat. Most of the time Sheldon was not bothered by his brothers antics. He knew that he was just doing things because Sheldon was so much smarter than him. Even if the things like making him smell his farts, or not letting him into their blanket forts had bothered him. He had never reacted as strongly as George wanted him to. Now George had found his Achilles heel. If he was doing it just to get a reaction from him, he had already succeeded. Pursuing it further was just adding salt to the wound. It almost made Sheldon think his brother might truly have feelings for Amy.

Then a light goes off in Sheldon's head, that had to be it. George wasn't just doing this to get a rise out of him. George was doing this because his girlfriend had bewitched Junior like she had him. If this was the case he knew exactly what to do to get back at George.

"Amy?" He asks her gently and she looks up at him.

"Hmmm?" She mumbles still in her reverie.

"If I asked you to follow my lead. To play along with whatever I do and not question me… Would you?" He asks cautiously.

"Of course… What do you have in mind?" She asks and he stands up and reaches his hand out to her to pull her up.

Amy stands up and follows Sheldon back to where his brother and sister are sitting. He still has not said a word and Amy feels anxious, wondering what he has planned. George stands up from her stolen chair and makes a motion for her to sit back down.

"Amy, I'm real sorry. I'm an idiot I never meant to embarrass you I swear. I was just teasing but it came off like I was being an ass," George pleads hoping to stay in her good graces.

"Yeah Amy we are both really sorry. I thought you knew we were having rum and cokes. You know Meemaw would never kick you out though right? She likes having you here and you would have to do something real bad for that to change sweetie," Missy says sincerely she never meant to hurt Amy.

"It's okay, I may have overreacted," Amy says ducking her head.

"No you didn't neither! We were being asses to you and we're sorry," George says.

"Mostly George was an ass, but come on let's go back to relaxing and having fun together. Meemaw ain't going to be back until tomorrow and Mama said we can all stay here and keep you company. Now just sit down and let's start over," Missy suggests.

Amy is about to sit down when Sheldon jumps in front of her and sits down first. Leaning his back against the chair and stretching out his long legs. Amy is about to tease him about being such a gentleman when he motions for her to join him. She sits on the edge of the chair but he pats his lap indicating that he wants her up higher. Amy scoots up settling in between his long legs sitting with her back against his chest. Sheldon wraps his hands around her middle and pulls her up higher. She rests against him and his arms are wrapped around her waist. His legs intertwined with hers and Amy relaxes into him, wondering why they don't sit like this all the time. Sheldon then bends his head and whispers in her ear.

"Are you comfortable?" He asks. Her skin is so soft and she smells so good he's missed being this close to her.

"I don't think I have ever been more comfortable," Amy says snuggling against him, pulling his arms tighter around her. "I don't know why we don't sit like this more often?" She says sighing.

"I might be about to make you uncomfortable. I am about to do some major PDA," He informs her. His lips brushing against her ear as he whispered and sending chills of anticipation throughout her.

"I don't mind PDA, that's with you… Besides I know why you're doing this. You are trying to get back at George," She whispers into his ear brushing her lips softly against his neck.

"It doesn't bother you?" He asks curiously knowing he was about to be very ungentlemanly.

"No, I think it's genius," She says smiling up at him and he bends down to kiss her mouth.

Sheldon just wanted to kiss her enough to make Junior jealous. He had seen Junior sit like this with a few of his girlfriends on the couch in the den. Whenever he walked in on it he rolled his eyes at the vulgarness of it. For a split second on the dock he had an image of Amy wrapped in Juniors arms. The image had made him see red for a moment. Picturing them in such an intimate embrace. If George truly had feeling for Amy this would kill him.

Then as Amy rests against his chest and his hands cover the smooth skin of her tummy. Sheldon sees the advantage of this position, and why Junior prefered it with all his girlfriends. His crotch is pressed against her bottom and when she wiggles against him he feels it everywhere. The soft kisses he is planting on her lips become deeper. He flicks her mouth open with his tongue. Amy parts her lips for him gladly sucking his bottom lip into her mouth a maneuver she knows drives him crazy. It is then that he loses all control pulling her tighter against his body seeking friction and this makes Amy wiggle against Sheldon. His hand roaming over her body enjoying the amount of skin she has exposed. It had been too long for him and his baser urges were over taking his rational brain that told him this was far more than he had planned on doing. That his brother and sister did not need to see him kissing his girlfriend like there was no tomorrow.

"Umm.. We are going to give ya'll some privacy," Missy says embarrassed getting up quickly and walking back toward the house.

"Yeah, see ya'll later," George says gruffly getting up and stomping after Missy. A feeling of jealousy and anger prickling at the back of his neck. He feels like that was all for show and he wants to prove it but he doesn't know how.

"Sheldon, they are gone," Amy says breathlessly pulling away and pressing her lips to his neck.

"So?" He asks moving his hand up from her stomach to the tie at the back of her neck. He undoes the tie and loosens the straps. Trailing his lips down the hollow of her neck and along her shoulder. "Amy, I need you," He begs running his hand down her arms as his mouth kisses her neck.

"They might see us," Amy says weakly as she raises her arms up and around Sheldon's neck to pull him down closer to her mouth. Her resolve quickly fading away she's missed this feeling so much.

"Not from here, I could not even tell you guys were out here from the house," He tells her in between kisses. He was desperate for her at this point and he hoped she felt the same way.

Suddenly Amy flips around in his arms and straddles his lap. The straps from her suit fall down exposing her breasts, which he takes eagerly in his hands. Amy moans and leans into his touch encouraging him further and he takes a hardened nipple into his mouth causing her to grind against him.

"So you want to do this here? Where anyone could walk out and see us?" She asks as she tugs at his white undershirt and pulls it off her resolve now completely gone. "What would your brother say if he saw us like this?" She teases.

Sheldon could care less about what George thought about him having coitus with his girlfriend. Though he does care about him seeing Amy nude. That sight was for his eyes only, the thought of George seeing her like this has him seeing red again.

"Where can we go?" He pleads as he kisses her breasts again and runs his hands down her back squeezing her bottom making her gasp.

"How about the water?" She asks tossing her head back and he shakes his head no.

"I can't swim," He confesses.

"You don't have to swim, you are so tall that most of the water you can stand in just fine. Come on Sheldon I need you too," Amy begs bending down and sucking on his neck.

"Okay," He agrees willing to risk drowning and dying just to be with her again.

Amy gets off his lap and starts undressing completely leaving her swimsuit on the chair. Sheldon stands up and pulls off his pants and underwear folding them neatly next to her swimsuit. Amy takes his hand and he follows her lead into the water. They wade in until he is almost chest deep and Amy has to wrap her arms around his shoulders to keep from sinking. Amy kisses him and he kisses her back tilting her head back to get full access to her mouth. She wraps her legs around his waist and he wraps his hands around her bottom to keep her in place. Slowly he maneuvers himself so he is poised at her entrance and she grabs him with one hand and guides him inside her, before wrapping her arms around his neck again. Amy kisses him deeply as she undulates on him.

"Oh my, hoo!" She moans as his hands grip her backside tighter moving her faster on him, it feels so good that she starts nibbling the spot behind his ear that always drives him crazy. He growls at this and begins to thrust faster making them both cry out.

"You feel so good!" He groans burying his face in her neck. The feeling of floating around with her in the water is what he thinks space would feel like. Weightless and exhilarating, floating around in a state of pure bliss.

"I love you!" She calls out as she comes around him hugging him tightly.

"I want to marry you!" He tells her releasing himself into her. Grinning broadly at her for solving two of her problems in one day.


	25. I Need You

**Title if the chapter is a NKOTB song, early nineties but I was much to goth at the time to enjoy Backstreet Boy's or N'Sync. A big thank you too my beta cutelittlelumpofwool82 for polishing this up for me and being the idea woman.**

George Jr. and Missy sit in the kitchen and continue their drinks from earlier. They were both a little horrified and grossed out from Sheldon's display earlier. Seeing him kissing a girl like that had been disturbing. Before Amy they weren't even sure if he liked girls boy were they wrong.

"It was plain nasty," George spits out as he makes himself another rum and coke in Meemaw's kitchen.

"It ain't nasty… Well seeing it was kind of gross… but they love each other so flipping much it makes my heart hurt," Missy tells George putting her hand across her heart and sighing. George had been wailing on about how fake and gross their make out session had been.

"He was just kissing her like that to get at me. He ain't ever kissed her like that before. What all of a sudden the boy grew balls?" George huffs. "He was practically looking me in the eye the entire time," He yells slamming his hand on the counter.

"Sheldon has balls, he just keeps his balls private. Unlike you who just let's all your balls hang out," Missy laughs enjoying Juniors jealousy. "Okay, I'm as drunk as a skunk!" Missy giggles jumping up on the counter and swinging her legs.

"I'll show you! I'm going to go back out there and they will be playing tiddlywinks or some shit. You'll see… It was all just an act!" George growls pointing at her.

"Oh there will be some titties and some winkies out there!" Missy giggles. George has no idea how much Sheldon and Amy truly feel for each other, she on the other hand wasn't blind she's noticed the heated looks between them over the past few weeks.

"Tiddlywinks you dummy! The game!" He slurs rolling his eyes.

Then he rushes out the door and walks back to the pond. Slowing when he hears giggling. In the purplish light of twilight he makes out the shadow of Sheldon and Amy standing in the water. Her arms wrapped around him and his head buried in her neck. On the chair where they had been making out was their clothes neatly folded.

"Damn Missy," He curses hating that his sister was right. "Got to hand it to the boy, not even I have done it in Meemaw's pond," He mumbles to himself impressed. Then he grabs the neatly folded clothes and sprints back towards the house with them. "This game still ain't over boy," He laughs.

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"Sheldon are you being serious?" Amy asks stunned as they bob in the water.

"Completely," He says blinking the water out of his eyes.

"We can't get married," Amy says stupefied.

"Why not? It would solve all your problems. My first thought was to get you legally emancipated. That process is rather lengthy, I looked into myself when my father would not let me go to college," Sheldon shares.

"Sheldon, that would have broke your mother's heart!" Amy says shocked.

"Which is why I abandoned my quest. If you can't get your parents to sign off on it then the court proceedings can be grueling. However if we were to marry then you would become automatically legally emancipated," He says excitedly.

"I am only seventeen, my mother would have to sign off on me getting married as well," Amy reminds him. "Come on let's get out of the water it's getting chilly," Amy says shivering with cold in spite of the day's heat. They walk out of the water and Sheldon gives her a smirk as he gets caught openly staring at her behind. Causing Amy to giggle and smack his arm, she was always amazed by how beautiful Sheldon could make her feel.

"Actually your legal guardian has to sign off on it. And you said yourself your current legal guardian is…" He leads as they sit on Missy's abandoned chair and grab a towel from her large tote to dry off.

"Constance! Right now Constance is my legal guardian!" Amy says his logic finally becoming clear to her.

"Exactly, so to get emancipated you would have to have your mother agree. To get married we would just need Meemaw to agree. Then you are emancipated in the eyes of the law. My property rather than your mother's. Never would you have to suffer abuse at her hands. As an added bonus you would gain full control over your trust," Sheldon says grinning.

"What will people think if we get married at seventeen?" Amy asks balking a bit at him saying she would be his property.

"I had a cousin who got married when she was sixteen and everyone seemed thrilled about it," Sheldon says innocently and Amy cuts her eyes at him.

"Sheldon, was she pregnant at the time?" Amy asks, already certain of the answer.

"Well yes… but you are not and we will make sure that it is clear you are on birth control and all proper precautions are being taken care of," He assures.

"You make some excellent points," Amy says a little sadly. She had daydreamed about marrying Sheldon a million times. They were always older in her fantasies though. Graduated from school with their doctorates under their belts. Amy reaches for her abandoned swimsuit and finds it gone along with Sheldon's clothes. "Sheldon! Our clothes are gone!" Amy panics looking around for their clothes.

"George!" Sheldon says like a swear.

"He stole our clothes?" Amy yells. Grabbing part of the towel Sheldon was currently drying off with trying to cover herself thinking George may be watching.

"It would appear so, he fancies himself to be quite the prankster," Sheldon scoffs annoyed and wrapping the towel securely around Amy.

"What are we going to do waltz through the door buck naked? We only have one towel and it can't cover us both," Amy moans wrapping the towel around her chest tightly.

"Never fear, my antisocial tendencies and love for safety have made me a master at knowing where every entrance and exit to a house is. I happen to know if we walk around the side of the house we can get into the basement from a small window," He says gruffly. It's one thing for Junior to prank him this way but Amy did nothing to deserve this, and for this he would make Junior pay.

"And the basement has the washer and dryer! I just ran a load early this morning, perfect. What will you do?" Amy asks him worriedly.

"I happen to keep a spare set of clothes in her basement closet. Once I got a mustard stain on my pants during a cookout. I had to sit pantless in the basement until they were cleaned. So now I make sure to always have a spare set," Sheldon tells her getting up. "Come on let's go, the quicker the better."

They sprint across the lawn around the side of the house. Just like he said there is a small aluminum window he is able to pull open. The squeeze is tight but they both drop safely into the basement. They get dressed in silence.

"Let's go find George," Sheldon says looking up the basement stairs.

"What? Why? I don't want to be anywhere near him right now," Amy tells him even if it had turned out well their naked sprint had been humiliating and she hopes no one saw.

"When he sees us fully dressed and not humiliated it will kill him. He has to know I won this one, also now I need to get him back now," Sheldon tells her, she can see the thrill of competition is growing strong in him. Sheldon hated losing, he hated being teased, and she was certain George had something terrible coming to him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Missy lays on the couch watching TV and George sits on the floor in front of her his long legs stretched out. Watching the cartoon on the screen with his arms crossed annoyed.

"Let's go out somewhere," George whines. He needs something to get his mind off of what he saw out in the pond.

"Not right now, we gotta wait for Sheldon and Amy. Also I'm watching this movie right now," Missy snaps. Tired of his grumpiness and jealousy, at this point their drinks were not helping him relax at all.

"I can't believe you are making me watch this," He tells Missy and she hushes him.

"You are going to make me miss the best part," She gripes at him.

"You think every part is the best part," He groans watching Belle and the Beast fall in love.

"I do! Belle is the best princess. She's got brown hair, she's kind, she likes to read… Hey what's happening right now is like Beauty and the Beast! Amy is a bookish brunette being pursued by a huge conceited loud mouth. But she falls in love with the socially awkward recluse instead!" Missy squeals laughing until she's crying and almost falls off the couch.

"That's it I'm turning this shit off!" George yells trying to grab the remote from her.

"No! Besides all Meemaw's got in the house are cartoons. Or the greatest stories of the bible by Timelife. We both know that without cable Saturday TV blows," Missy says hiding the remote behind her back.

"Where are Sheldon and Amy? They have been gone for a long time," George huffs impatiently.

"You told me where they were, out in the pond doing the no pants dance. Then you took their clothes," Missy tells him shaking her head.

"I just can't wait for them to come knocking at the door buck naked begging to be let in. I'm going to be laughing so hard!" He snickers.

"At what? This movie? Oh please George this is juvenile even for you," Sheldon says smugly walking in the room and sitting in an arm chair.

"Sheldon what are you doing in here?" George asks shocked.

"In my grandmother's house? Probably the same thing you are doing," Sheldon says rolling his eyes as Amy walks in and sits on the arm of the couch beside Missy.

"Ya'll have fun swimming?" Missy says teasing poking Amy with her foot and Amy blushes, "I ain't ever got Sheldon to go in no water!"

"We had a very refreshing dip," Amy says demurely looking down at her lap picking at imaginary lint.

"Well your back now, let's go out somewhere," George says a bit defeated. Bringing up the stolen clothes would only make him guilty. Asking about it would only be making Sheldon's victory greater.

"Yeah let's go!" Missy says enthusiastically shutting off the TV.

"Where?" Amy asks curiously.

"Anywhere but here," Missy replies. "I am bored out of my skull, and it's only a matter of time before you two start kissing on each other again. Got to get you out of the house to prevent teen pregnancy," Missy laughs again taking a sip from her glass. Amy blushed and Sheldon just gives Missy a hard glare. "You know what would be really fun? Remember when we was little and we would all spend the weekend with Meemaw and Pop-Pop they would take us to putt-putt golf?"

"Putt-putt! Man I could go for whacking some balls through a clown's mouth," Junior says smacking his hands together. "Just sounds like a regular Saturday night for you, right Missy?" He laughs nudging Missy with his elbow.

"Shut up dumbass!" Missy says punching him in the arm.

"No way, that may have been a fun time for you two but it was abject torture for me," Sheldon complains.

"Only because you were as big of a killjoy at six as you are now," George scoffs.

"Killjoy? You are the killjoy need I remind you of the permanent dent in my skull from one of our fun little outings," Sheldon says raising his voice.

"Cause' you wouldn't shut up about pine cones the whole damn time!" Junior growls.

"I"ll have you know that pine cones…" Sheldon starts but is cut short.

"Will ya'll just stop fighting! Damn! Ya'll are getting on my last nerve," Missy yells. "Me and Amy will just go by ourselves if ya'll don't want to go."

"Amy doesn't want to..." Sheldon begins.

"Actually Sheldon it does sound kinda fun. My mom never let me go to places like that and I think I would like to try it," Amy says softly giving him puppy dog eyes.

"Alright let's go, so Amy can find out how fun whacking a ball through a windmill is," Sheldon says sarcastically. He could never resist that look and he wondered if Amy knew that fact.

"We all know how much Amy likes whacking balls," George laughs and Amy looks at him wide eyed and shocked.

"I believe she just told us that she had never played the sport before," Sheldon corrects.

"Sheldon, he was making a sexual innuendo," Amy whispers to him then it is Sheldon's turn to look at him scandalized.

"I will not have you talking to my girlfriend like that!" Sheldon says angrily standing up to face George. Squaring his shoulders with his fists and jaw clenched to look intimidating. George is shocked to see that they are the same height now, he thought he was still the taller one when truthfully Sheldon might even have an inch on him.

"Cool down cowboy, I was just teasing," George says holding his hands up in defeat.

"You tease too much," Sheldon tells him the anger in his voice rising. All the resentment for the last seventeen years is about to spill out and Missy can feel it.

"Come on ya'll let's just go," she says grabbing Georges shirt and tugging him backwards. "Both ya'll had bad days, you just need to blow off a little steam. Come on Amy you're driving, I can't and we won't all fit in George's truck."

They all pile into Amy's volvo and Sheldon directs her to their destination. Amy is surprised to see that the putt-putt course is actually a large complex. Inside the building is an arcade, a restaurant and lots of games. There are children running around screaming completely unsupervised. Amy was in heaven, this is the kind of place she always wanted her birthday parties to be at and her mother would never let her.

"This place is fantastic!" Amy cries looking around. "Do we have to just play putt-putt or can we do everything?" Sheldon looks at her curiously she looks like a kid in a candy store.

All his life he had been subjected to birthday party after birthday party in establishments such as this, all the blinking lights, loud noises, crowds of people, it made him feel like his head was about to explode. Most of the time he would hide in the upstairs arcade playing Street Fighter until he had mastered it. The few times he had been coaxed down he found the games of skill to be unfair. Once you figured out the algorithm of the way the lights flashed, or the exact angle to bounce the ball to score the most points there was no challenge. He was almost always able to come away with a large prize.

"You never went to a place like this as a kid?" Missy asks her and Amy shakes her head no.

"My mother didn't believe in spoiling a child with extravagant birthdays. I was never invited to anybody else's so this is my first time," Amy replies emotionlessly while still looking around.

"Dang girl, almost everything that comes out of your mouth makes me sad," Missy tells her wrapping Amy in a sideways hug. "Well you are going to have the time of your life tonight. We are going to make up for every shitty birthday party you ever had."

"It is almost my half birthday," Amy muses.

"So let me kick Sheldon"s ass at putt-putt then you can do whatever you want," George says walking up to the counter. "My treat," he says plunking down a hundred dollar bill on the counter.

They head to the miniature golf course and start the first hole. Amy goes first and hits the ball so hard it pops upwards over the windmill and to the other side. Amy covers her mouth shocked and Sheldon just looks at her impressed.

"Unconventional but it will get the job done," he tells her following her to the other side so she can try again.

"Here let me show you how you swing right," George says walking up behind her and placing his hands lightly on her elbows.

"Alright that will be enough of that," Sheldon says poking George with his golf club making him back up.

"Don't you poke me with your club," George warns.

"Don't you poke Amy with yours," Sheldon glares.

"Don't you make me give you another dent on that big old head of yours," George says moving closer to Sheldon challenging him.

"Boys! Stop it!" Missy yells. "Ain't no one bringing their balls or clubs out here tonight. This pissing contest has got to stop. This is Amy's very merry unbirthday and we are all going to play nice," Missy says stomping her foot.

"You need to stop watching cartoons Missy," George laughs. Missy just puts her hands on her hips and glares at him looking eerily like their mother. "Alright, we'll play nice," He sighs while backing away from Amy. They finish the rest of their game and head back inside to the arcade.

"You should let Sheldon win you some tickets," Missy tells Amy. "Sheldon can win you whatever you want," Missy says winking at Amy.

"Oh really?" Amy asks taking Sheldon by his elbow and he looks down at her smugly.

"Most of these games present me with no challenge. Like let's say this one," Sheldon says stopping at a machine with lightbulbs flashing up and down. Sheldon puts a token into the machine and the lights start blinking faster. "The point is to hit the button when it hits the 10,000 ticket mark. Most people will misjudge and hit it just before or just after. Yet if you count the blinks and time it precisely..." Sheldon hits the button and a buzzer goes off, and the lights flash like crazy. The machine starts spitting out tickets, so many that they just curl around their feet in a pile.

"Yay!" Amy squeals clapping her hands while jumping up and down. They win so many tickets the attendant has to give them a roll to make up for what wasn't in the machine. "Let's do another!" She says running to a different machine.

"Big deal! So he can count," George says huffily. Watching as Amy pulls Sheldon along behind her as he struggles not to trip on the many tickets dragging the floor.

"Then you do it if you think it's so easy," Missy says handing George a token with a raised brow. George puts the token in and moves his head up and down following the lights. He slams his hand down and five tickets pop out of the machine.

"Shut up!" He tells Missy pointing at her. "Don't laugh." He sighs.

"Hey George?" Missy asks stifling a laugh.

"Hmm?" He asks distracted watching as Amy hugs Sheldon around the middle when he wins another game. Sheldon just looks slightly embarrassed and annoyed when she kisses him on the cheek then drags him to the next game.

"How did you get that hundred dollars?" She asks him as he slips another token into the machine. He slams his fist down and it buzzes angrily at him and produces no tickets.

"How the hell does he do it!" George swears moving over to Skee ball.

"George you're not answering me," Missy says handing him a ball.

"I may or may not have taken it from the snack bar when they asked me to leave the pool," George says throwing a ball into the highest hole. "Aww yeah! Suck it Sheldon."

"He's not even playing this game asshole," Missy sighs. "George, mama will find out you stole that money. You got fired and stole money! She is going to kill you Junior," Missy scolds.

"Well that's why we gotta have fun tonight. I am going to be dead or grounded the rest of the summer," George tells her winking as he tosses another ball up into a hole.

"Missy! We won so many tickets they politely asked us to leave!" Amy tells her excited with her arms full of tickets.

"Alright let's go spend your tickets! You can get whatever you want with this many," Missy says happily. She was glad Amy was having such a good time she deserved it after everything she's been through.

"Well I will need almost half for myself," Sheldon says coming up at her side with another armload of tickets.

"Sheldon don't be selfish!" Missy gripes.

"It's okay Missy even if he takes half I can still get that giant purple monkey." Amy says pointing at the prize booth.

"Aww, ya'll already sound like a married couple," Missy says and Amy looks taken aback.

"Yeah well, come on let's go cash out. I might have enough left over to get you a little something too," Amy says wrapping her free arm around Missy and walking away.

"Dude, you are such a tool. You have a girlfriend and you are still hogging all the tickets. What do you need? The lame ass bat signal? Newsflash you can buy it at Spencer's if you want it that bad," Junior huffs preparing to throw his next ball but Sheldon's next words make him miss the shot.

"What you don't know is that I need these tickets for her," Sheldon says cryptically walking away.

"What the hell?" George mumbles watching Sheldon disappear in the crowd.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that night Amy and Sheldon lay in her bed. It had been a long and interesting day and Amy was wired. After they left the putt-putt golf place they all got dinner. Everyone except for George who stayed behind saying he would hitch a ride from someone else. By the time they got home Missy was so out of it she laid on the couch and passed out. Now Sheldon was laying in her bed silent even though she can tell he can't sleep either.

"Amy?" Sheldon asks breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" She asks.

"You never answered me, earlier," He asks and Amy flips over to face him. Amy was dreading this. Honestly she was surprised that he was able to go so long before bringing it back up again. Sheldon was not a fan of unfinished business. Amy thought for sure it would have come back up when Missy mentioned them being an old married couple.

"About getting married?" She asks and she sees him bob his head yes in the dark. "I still don't know. There are a lot of things to consider," She sighs.

"Well, what are you considering?" He asks looking over at her.

"Your scholarship, would you still get it if you are a married man? The whole college experience really, how will being married affect all of that? Will we live in the dorms still? Do we have to find an apartment? What about health insurance if we get married you can't be on your moms," Amy trails off.

"As far as my scholarship goes, men much older than me with established families have used it to further their education. However I was thinking that our marriage would be a bit of a secret," He says carefully.

"A secret?" She asks curiously.

"Yes, I mean our families would know of course but as far as school and other activities our marriage would be hush hush. We would still be in separate dorms and everything would go exactly as planned. Except we would be legally bound to each other. If you wanted we could even get divorced once you were of legal age," Sheldon says softly not meeting her eyes.

"It's all very logical Sheldon," Amy sniffs annoyed.

This was not at all how she thought it would be. She wanted a romance, she wanted him to be on one knee. She did not want to be discussing getting divorced within the same breath of getting married. When she got engaged she wanted it to be because he loved her so much he knew he wanted her in his life forever. Not just to save her from having to go back to her mother. Though she did have to admit just offering it was a selfless gesture. Sheldon would only lose in this and she had everything to gain.

"Sheldon think of everything you could lose doing this," Amy says sitting up on the bed.

"Think of everything I gain," he counters sitting up and facing her.

"You would be legally bound to me forever. Think about it, say you divorce me once I turn eighteen. The marriage would still show up on background checks. You apply for a research grant and they want to know about your teenage marriage. I don't see anything you would gain in this," Amy sighs.

"I would gain you forever, even if you made us get divorced when we were of age. I would just wait and ask you again when you truly felt you wanted to be married," Sheldon says taking her hands in his twirling her promise ring around on her finger. A gesture she realized he did when he was feeling nervous.

"What would be the sense in that?" She laughs looking into his serious face.

"There wouldn't be any sense in that… But I would do it if it made you feel better," He tells her solemnly. It dawns on her that maybe he isn't just being selfless. That maybe he truly wants to be married to her.

"Sheldon why do YOU want to get married," She asks and he looks down and sighs.

"Amy everything is going to be changing soon. You know I have a hard enough time with change as it is. As much as I have dreamt of going away and doing this, I am dreading it too. Amy you are the one constant in my world. As rocky and weird as things can get you keep me steady. Amy I love you. You are the only person I will ever love and I want you with me forever," Sheldon says in a rush finally looking up his eyes full of love and sincerity.

"Sheldon...I…" Amy stammers her heart racing.

"Will you marry me?" Sheldon asks pulling out a ring from pocket.

"Sheldon what's this?" Amy coos taking the ring from his hands like it was a precious jewel.

"A one of a kind green lantern ring I won for you tonight," He says smiling at her as she puts the ring on her finger.

"That's why you needed the tickets?" Amy asks with tears in her eyes taking the ring off and handing it back to him and he nods his head.

"What do you say?" He asks nervously biting his lip.

"Ask me again on one knee," Amy says smiling sweetly. Sheldon looks at her odd but gets up and walks around to her side of the bed and gets on one knee. Holding out the ring to her once again.

"Amy Farrah Fowler, will you marry me?" He says softly.

"Yes," She replies. Her voice cracking as he places the ring on her finger. "I love you."

"I love you too," Sheldon replies rising up to kiss her. They both crawl into bed and Amy curls into his side with her hand on his chest admiring her ring. Sheldon wraps his arm around her tightly and they begin to drift off into a peaceful sleep.

 **Thank you for all the nice reviews! They let me know I'm not shouting into the void.**


	26. Rebel Yell

A thank you to Piel-canela for a good suggestion. A huge thank you to cutelittlelumpofwool82 for all her help. I know Rebel Yell is an eighties song.

When she looks out the window she sees the scraggly orange tree that used to be in her old front yard. Never once had it produced a single edible orange. Just tiny walnut sized fruit that seemed to turn to dust when you opened them.

"They told me I was like that tree." Her mother used to say. "That my fruit would never prosper, look how wrong they were." She would tell Amy patting her head. Her mother had been old when she had her. Far too old to be beginning her life as a mother.

Looking at the tree now it almost looks sinister. It's black twisted roots exposed in the dusty ground. Its leaves dark against the purple twilight wants to get an ax and chop it down. She hates the tree and it needs to go away. Why does she hate this tree so much she wonders vaguely. Then it dawns on her why, this tree is in California, she is in Texas. It shouldn't be here.

Amy grabs an ax that is leaning against her dresser. Just waiting for her. She does not remember putting it there. There is an ax in her room and she can't remember why. This is her old bedroom she realizes. Her bedroom in California, not her one in Texas. The tree is right to be here, it is her that is out of place. Her mother must have kidnapped her. Knocked her out and somehow gotten her across the country.

Amy pads down the hallway, her long white nightgown dragging on the hardwood making a soft whoosh sound. In her hand she is still carrying the ax. Something about its heft in her hand is very comforting. She reaches the kitchen and sees her mother sitting with her back to her.

"Mother?" Amy asks softly. Peggy turns around.

"Yes, Amy?" She asks dreamily.

"Why are we back here? I need to go back to Texas… I have to at least tell Sheldon I am gone. He is going to be so worried about me," She says nervously.

"Amy what are you talking about? We have never even been to Texas. Who is this Sheldon? Is he another one of your made up friends? Just tell him now, I'll pretend I'm not listening," Her mother says sticking her fingers in her ears.

"Sheldon is real! He loves me and if you don't take me back, I'm going to…"

"Amy, you're sick sweetie. You just got out of the hospital. I thought you were ready to come home. Clearly I was wrong," Peggy says sullenly.

"I'm not the crazy one! That's you! You are the crazy one.." Amy shouts panicking as two large men come out from the shadows holding large needles. Amy drops her axe and tries to run but they catch her. They hold her down and try to inject her with something. Amy flails and kicks but she can't get away.

"Don't worry sweetie. Everything is going to be okay. Mommy is here now," Her mother says her face taking on a sinister smile.

Sheldon wakes up to see Amy thrashing about like a fish. She is crying and murmuring in her sleep. Gripped by terrors that only she can see. It did not happen to her often but when it did he was glad when he was in the bed. So he could calm her down, chase away the nightmare that plagued her.

"Shh it's just a nightmare," Sheldon's voice murmurs reassuringly. Amy's breathing slows down and she starts to wake up. His long arms wrapped tightly around her.

"I'm sorry… It always feels so real," Amy tells him. Her body still stiff from fighting off the attack.

"It's just your brain, processing information. With a mind as powerful as yours it must be hard to rest it, even at night. However wherever your subconscious took you. You are not there. You are right here with me," He tells her and she relaxes in his arms, twisting around to kiss him.

"You're right, just so much has happened," She sighs twisting back around. Looking at the chunky metal ring on her finger still. The stone in the middle is purple with a lantern symbol on it.

"Violet means love," He informs her and she smiles. On anyone ls, from anyone else the choice of engagement ring might seem odd. Tacky, but from him to her it was somehow perfect.

"Did we really get engaged?" She asks him.

"On Saturday June, 24 at 11:34 we got engaged," He agrees and she can feel his smile at her ear. Amy twists around again to kiss him.

Sheldon kisses her back with zeal. Rolling her on her back and climbing on top of her. Balancing his weight on his elbows. Amy wraps her arms around his neck, her feet around his ankles. Pulling him tighter to her. Then the clock in Meemaw's house chimes the westminster bells. Signaling the change of the hour. Something about the sound breaks the spell and Amy let's him go. This is not her room, or her house, making love to her boyfriend on his grandmother's handmade quilt seemed wrong.

"Sheldon we should stop, your mom is trusting us. Your Meemaw trusts us. What happened in the pond shouldn't have," Amy begins expecting an argument. Instead he rolls off her and gently pushes her to her side to wrap his arm around her.

"You're right, I just sometimes have a hard time controlling my impulses around you. Let's try and go back to sleep it is only three in the morning," He says and Amy is satisfied, if not a tad bothered by how quickly he gave into her.

"Good, I'm glad you agree," She says closing her eyes again but she soon discovers sleep is evasive.

After staring at the clock for twenty minutes she wonders if Sheldon is asleep. His arms are still wrapped around her and his face is pressed into her neck. She can feel his warm breath and she can't tell if he is awake or in a light sleep. Just as she ponders flipping over in his arms to find out, one of his thumbs grazes her nipple. Sending a jolt through her body, that makes her nerves stand on end. Still she can't tell if it was accidental or deliberate she waits on pins and needles for it to happen again. The next time it happens she knows it is no accident as his thumb and forefinger rub her nipple through the material of her nightgown. Amy moans in pleasure as his other hand cups her other breast repeating the maneuver. Amy arches her back so her breasts fit into his hands better. Attempting to turn her head back to kiss him again.

"Uh-huh," He whispers in her ear gently pushing her head down with his own.

Then he presses his lips to the hollow of her neck. Kissing and gently sucking on the delicate flesh there. Amy writhes with pleasure as his hands expertly manipulate her nipples. The feeling of his mouth on her neck is sending shivers down her spine and she bucks against him. Grinding her behind into his impressive erection. Yet when she tries to reach behind her to touch him, he moves her hand away.

"Uh uh uh," He scolds.

"Why not?" she whines, wiggles against him again.

"You said, we shouldn't," He reminds her as his hand moves from her breast and begins to travel up her nightgown. Sheldon moves his hand slowly up her leg, up her thigh, to the band of her panties grabbing her hip and pulling her closer to his arousal. His fingers dip into the front of her panties as he begins to circle her clit making her moan before moving his hand away and smoothing down her nightgown.

"But you are..." She reminds him grinding against him again.

"I'm a bit of a rebel, you like to follow the rules," He tells her in her ear. His voice is seductive and she senses a challenge in it.

"Oh? You're a rebel?" She asks, thinking how funny that statement is. Sheldon loved the rules more than anybody. This was the one rule it seemed he had no qualms with breaking. "I do love a bad boy," She says moving so quickly he can't stop her.

Amy moves so she is on top of him pinning him down. Holding his hands just above his head and bending down to kiss his mouth. Taking his bottom lip in her teeth and nibbling before sweeping her tongue across. It's his turn to buck against her and try to extricate his hands but she holds him firm.

"Uh uh uh, it's my turn now," She says burying her face in his neck. Grinding against him slowly and gently.

Sheldon did not have a change of pajamas at his grandmother's house. So he went to bed in just his underwear and white undershirt. The thin layer of cotton of their under garments is the only barrier between them. Amy's are so soaked it almost feels like she is wearing nothing at all as she moves against him. She feels every inch of him as he rubs between her legs. The feeling is highly erotic, being so close yet so far away. Sheldon breaks his arms free and lifts up the hem of her nightgown. Pulling up it up and over her head, then sitting up slightly so she can take off his shirt. Amy plants kisses across his collar bones, down his sternum. Slowly sliding down his body kissing his chest and down to his stomach. Sheldon sits up to watch her as she pulls his underwear off then her own.

"What are you going to do now?" He asks completely transfixed by her.

It is the first time she has ever taken charge and he can't wait to see what she has in store for him next. Amy starts by taking him into her hand and stroking him up and down. As she pumps him her head moves down slowly. Looking up at him through her lashes she smirks.

"What do you want me to do?" She purrs leaning down to kiss just the tip of his erection. "Is this okay?" She asks gliding her tongue up his shaft slowly before licking away a bead of pre cum.

"This.. You can do this…" He manages to say even though her every action makes him feel like he can't breathe. Watching as she slowly takes all of him into her mouth. Running her tongue along the underside of his tip and moaning while taking him back into her mouth. He almost blacks out from the intense wave of pleasure of the vibration as she repeats the action. It embarasses him the amout of heavy breathing and moaning he is making. But his body is not his own right now, Amy is in complete control. Then she stops and gazes up at him with a mischievous look on her face.

"I guess we should stop now," There was no way this little game of cat and mouse could continue. He wants her so bad that it almost physically hurts. An ache that affects his whole body and clouds his senses only Amy could do this to him.

"I need you now woman!" He growls. Amy just giggles as she climbs up him and straddles him.

"Do you now?" Amy asks as she guides him inside her making them both moan at how deep he is in this position.

Amy rocks on top of him gently his size always surprises her, her movements are slow and deliberate. He stares up at her amazed by her beauty her long hair covering her breasts. Amy gazes back down at him and smiles closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling. Wondering what he is thinking about when he suddenly grabs her hips and tips her to the side and switches their positions. Still gazing down at her he frames her head with his forearms and plants soft kisses on her eyes, then her nose. Keeping up the slow pace Amy had set with their foreheads touching. This time felt different than all the other times. The first time they were testing each other out. The other times had been furtive and quick. An outpouring of the lust that they had for one another.

Now they knew what they were doing. They could take their time, her mother would not be walking in on them. His siblings weren't within earshot. Missy was asleep in the living room couch, but she would be dead to the world until at least noon. It was just them, their love for each other, showing how much they loved each other with their bodies. Amy wraps her arms around his back. Lightly massaging the muscles of his back and pulling herself up onto her elbow.

"You can go faster, if you want," She tells him shyly. He smiles slyly and begins picking up the pace. Moving with a faster harder rhythm that makes her breath catch and her nails dig into his shoulders. The feeling is indescribable her whole body feels like it is on fire as he moves. Amy wraps her legs tightly around his waist pulling him deeper. Sheldon leans up reaching for both of her hands intertwining their fingers and leans down to kiss her slowly.

It was then Amy realized how wrong her mother had been. What she had told her that night was true, they had made love. There was nothing sinful, or dirty about this. It was beautiful, two souls becoming one and all that other maudlin nonsense she had read in books. The only thing dirty, was her mother's thoughts about it.

Now she would never have to go back to her mother again. Sheldon had solved the problem that had been nagging at her since she found out about her release. With him by her side she could go through the trial. Together they could do anything, she almost felt invincible as she pulls away and looks up at him.

"I love you so much," She tells him breathlessly.

"I love you too…" He moans kissing her back as their world shatters around them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Missy wakes up to the smell of coffee and something buttery and delicious cooking in the kitchen. She sits up and immediately has to hold her head in her hands to keep the room from spinning. Her head feels foggy and her tongue feels fuzzy. Pieces of last night swim into her head. Amy by the pond. Sheldon kissing Amy like no one was watching. George and Sheldon fighting, Amy winning a giant purple monkey. It all feels like she is watching it out of the bottom a glass. The rum and cokes George had made, had turned into straight rum after a while.

"Never again," Missy moans as she pads herself slowly to the kitchen. She is still in her clothes from yesterday, her denim shorts feel stiff and her baby doll t-shirt is stained. Her hair feels both greasy and crunchy at the same time from leftover gel. Missy wants to eat, shower, then go die in a hole. "Good Morning," She tells Sheldon who is sitting at the kitchen table eating.

"Try afternoon," He says smugly taking a bite of one of the most delicious looking sandwiches she has ever seen.

"I smell coffee," Missy says ignoring him and sniffing the air. Amy walks over and plunks down a plate of food, a mug of coffee, and a bottle of tylenol.

"I thought the smell coffee might rouse you. Even if Sheldon argued that one o'clock was too late in the day for coffee," Amy tells her, and Missy takes a grateful bite of her sandwich chased with a big swig of coffee. She moans in pleasure. "I know grilled cheese is one of your favorites," Amy grins.

"Thanks sweetie," Missy tells her belching loudly and wiping her mouth. Sheldon gives her a disgusted look and shakes his head. "You are going to make someone a great wife someday," She tells Amy winking at her. Sheldon looks at Amy shocked and Amy looks taken aback and blushes furiously. Missy looks between them very confused by their reactions. "Relax guys it was just a joke."

"Should we tell her?" Sheldon asks Amy raising his eyebrows.

"Do you want to tell her?" Amy asks him seriously.

"I suppose we need to start somewhere," He says shrugging his shoulders. "Missy is as good a starting point as any."

"I'm sorry tell me what?" Missy asks with her mouth full of food.

"That talking with your mouth full is impolite," Sheldon says rolling his eyes. Missy flips him off and he says."That rude hand gestures are inappropriate. Amy nevermind let's not tell Missy," He sighs.

"Tell me what!" Missy yells getting annoyed.

"Yesterday, Sheldon asked me a very important question," Amy starts but then stops unsure of how to continue.

"If the question was 'Am I a nerd?', I hope you told him the answer is yes," Missy jokes breaking the silence.

"The question he asked I did say yes to," Amy says putting her left hand on the table showing her the purple green lantern ring. It starts to dawn on Missy what that question was. "Sheldon asked me to marry him, and I said yes," Missy looks at them stunned. They can't be serious.

"Haha guys. Very, very, funny. You know it's almost July? April Fools is long over," Missy says starting a slow clap. "Ya'll almost got me. You know Sheldon you are not known for your humor. When you do joke you know how to do it right," Missy chuckles getting up and putting her plate in the sink.

"I assure you I'm not joking," Sheldon says getting up too and standing by Amy.

"This can't be legit. Are you pregnant Amy? You're pregnant aren't you? Ya'll are supposed to be the smart ones! You know we all expected Junior to knock some girl up. I actually lost the pool. I had him not making it out of high school, without being a daddy. But you Shelly? You are going to break Momma's pea picking heart! She was so excited about you being the first Cooper kid to go to a fancy college," Missy rambles out quickly.

"Missy I'm not pregnant," Amy tells her. She knew this would be everyone's first thought, and she hopes that both Mary and Constance give them a chance to explain before jumping to drastic conclusions.

"And I'm still going to college. Absolutely nothing is changing except for Amy and I being legally bound to each other," Sheldon says placing a hand on Amy's shoulder.

"So ya'll mean you're getting married in the future? Like taking them promise rings to the next level? Like ya'll are getting hitched after college?" Missy asks still trying to wrap her mind around this news.

"Actually no, we hope to get married fairly quickly," Sheldon informs her.

"You know that ya'll are only seventeen right? You can't even get married without Momma signing off on it. Your Momma too Amy. Do you really think your mom is going to sign off on this?" She asks incredulously.

"No I don't, she is however part of the reason we are rushing to get married. There is a chance that my mother could be getting out soon. If she gets out I will have to leave here. If Sheldon and I get married, in the eyes of the law I am emancipated. All I need is for Meemaw to sign off on it since she is my legal guardian right now," Amy replies her voice cracking at the mention of her mother's release.

"So this was your idea Amy?" Missy asks softly.

"No, it was mine. Amy was against it at first but I convinced her otherwise," Sheldon says looking at Amy and smiling.

It is clear that they love each other. That her brother is head over heels for Amy. It doesn't change the fact that before Amy he barely noticed people at all. How could he go from a boy robot to a sappy love puppy in a few short months. Missy wants to be happy for them but it is too much for her to take in right now. She wonders how her mother will feel about her golden boy marrying his high school sweetheart.

"Okay ya'll this is a whole lot to take in. So I'm gonna go take a shower and we will talk about this later… Much later." Missy mumbles walking away.

"That went well," Amy says miserably sitting down. "Missy was the only one I thought would be on board with this. If this was her reaction what will everyone else's be?" She groans crossing her arms on the table to rest her forehead on.

"Her reaction was as I expected," Sheldon tells her placing her hand consolingly on her shoulder. "Think of this in scientific terms. We are embarking on a study. Testing the various reactions of family members to our news," Sheldon smiles weakly when Amy lifts her head to look at him.

"My hypothesis is that no one will react favorably. Sheldon? Are we doing the right thing? Should we reconsider our plans?" She says worriedly. Sheldon's plan was growing on her and she was happy and becoming more confident. But Missy's reaction to the news had her questioning everything again.

"Yes, I think so. All we can do is tell the other's and hope for the best." He says giving her a slight smile.

"This ought to fun." Amy says, not looking forward to unveiling the news to everyone else.

 **The survey I took online was more smut was wanted. Hope ya'll liked it. Reviews to tell me what you thought are always appreciated.**


	27. The Flame

**Cutelittlelumpofwool82 and I worked real hard on this on ya'll. I hope you enjoy the fruits of our labors.**

Mary sits at her kitchen table in her favorite fuzzy blue robe feeling very blessed. The morning sun is shining through the window making the crystals on her cross suncatcher make rainbows on the wall. It is the first morning in a long while she has had all to herself. Just her and her coffee, no children hollering, demanding star wars toast, or rashers of bacon.

It was a good feeling for once to know her children were doing alright. Last summer had been a dark difficult time for everyone. Their daddy had just died, George had failed 12th grade, Missy's report card had barely gotten her out of the 10th grade. Sheldon was so closed off she barely saw him the whole summer. He holed up in his room barely coming out to eat. Even then sometimes she would have to bring him food to his room and hope he would eat it. He had gotten so skinny and pale it hurt to look at him.

Now George had finally graduated, and had a good job as a lifeguard at the pool. A job he had kept for two years now. Mary had to beg to land him that job, to keep him out of trouble last year. The owner had owed her a favor, but he did not regret his decision. George was a hard worker and he had even rescued a little girl from drowning last year.

Missy had managed a halfway decent report card. Two A's Two B's and three C's was much better than the straight D's she had last year. She was hostessing down at the Fuddruckers a few nights a week. Just enough to put some spending money in her pocket. Right now when she could be out with some of her bad news friends she was hanging out at her grandmother's house with Amy. Mary couldn't imagine they could get into much trouble there.

Then there was Sheldon, who had made more strides than all of them. As she drove him to his thing at the university she couldn't help but beam at him with pride. He looked so handsome in his sport coat, though it was getting a tad snug now. It thrilled her to see him filling out some, he was still a beanpole but he looked healthy. No longer so pale and pinched, like someone had stuck a straw in him and sucked out all the life. Now it was not uncommon to see him walking around with a smile on his face just because. Whereas last year she thought she saw him smile maybe once. Her pride at him being valedictorian, going to a fancy college, winning grants and scholarships. Had nothing on her pride of him just being a normal boy now. Of living life like everyone else instead of just thinking about science.

Mary had to hand it to Amy. Her stumbling into their lives had made a lot of this happen. Without her help George may not have ever graduated. Amy had helped Missy study and helped her write her term papers. She had everything to do with the turnaround in Sheldon. In a lot of ways Mary had begun to think of Amy as a second daughter. That girl had a way of worming her way into your heart.

It was almost eight AM and Mary hadn't even grabbed her paper yet. Sheldon normally brought it in for her. Worried that the neighbors would steal it if he did not grab it first. Mary reluctantly leaves her seat to go grab her paper. When she opens the front door she sees an odd pile of clothes lying in the lawn.

"Now who would throw their junk out on my lawn?" Mary tuts walking towards it. Then the pile rolls over and vomits. It is no pile of old laundry it is George. "Oh my stars and stripes!" Mary exclaims running towards him. Mary bends down and looks at him concerned.

"Oh hey Mama!" He exclaims. "What are you doin' here?" He asks smiling at her dopily.

"The better question is why are you in my yard laying in a pile of your own sick?" Mary asks angry now. The boy is drunk as a skunk and making a spectacle of himself in front of all the neighbors. She had enough of this with his daddy. George should know better.

"I am?" He asks sitting up looking around him. "How did I get here?" George groans finally feeling the pounding in his head.

"That's what I'm asking you boy," Mary sighs hauling him to his feet. It's not easy he is a big boy and she is small. Mary manages to get him to his feet and he lumbers slowly inside the house. "Boy you stink to high heavens," Mary snaps at him. He smells like cigarette smoke, sweat, stale alcohol, and vomit. Mary gets him in the bathroom guides him into the tub and turns the shower on full blast ice cold water to sober him up.

"Mama! Stop that!" He sputters and Mary turns off the water and starts to undress him.

"I thought you was supposed to go to Meemaw's after work with everyone else," Mary says pulling off a wet boot and setting on the tile.

"I was," He says wiping his nose. "I mean, I did go there."

"I doubt you got stinking drunk at your grandmother's house," Mary says tartly taking off the other boot.

"I got into her liquor cabinet, don't worry Amy yelled at me about it," Junior informs her.

"Yet you still continued drinking," Mary mumbles.

"We went to putt-putt golf, they all left early. I stayed and Josh Daloia took me to a party and that's where I got drunk," He slurs helping her remove his vomit covered t-shirt.

"Why didn't you stay with your siblings and stay out of trouble for once?" Mary scoldes disappointment lacing her voice.

"It hurts too bad," Junior tells her lolling his head against the side of the tub.

"What hurts, baby? Did you injure something?" Mary asks looking him up and down. Except for being drunk there doesn't look like there is anything else wrong with him.

"No, in here it hurts," He says thumping his chest where his heart is. "And here," He moans smacking his head.

"You lost me again Junior," Mary sighs.

"I lost Amy," George snaps and his voice cracking. He was beyond frustrated everything was a mess.

"You lost Amy? What is she not with Sheldon?" Mary asks wondering just how much he did have to drink last night.

"Exactly, she is with Sheldon," George says softly.

"Where is she supposed to be?" Mary asks confused. Had a carpool gone wrong? Were Amy and Sheldon lost at some party somewhere.

"With me! I love her and she is with him!" George cries out grateful the shower covers up the few angry tears that escape his bloodshot eyes and Mary just laughs.

"Oh sugar! You don't love her," Mary sighs exhausted. "Let me tell you a story. When I first found out I was pregnant with the twins you was so excited. Of course you told me you only wanted a brother. I could put a sister back where she came from. Then the twins came home and you realized having a brother was not all that fun. Sheldon was sickly like and you could barely touch him let alone play with him. You started resenting him real bad, and it only got worse when you realized little brothers got a lot of your old things. It made you mad to see him with things that were yours. So you made it your mission to take whatever that baby boy had. That has not changed in seventeen years."

"It's not just that, Amy is everything I never knew I wanted in a woman," George tells her.

"That's because you ain't ever met a girl like her until Sheldon had her. Amy ain't your type George," Mary tells him.

"The heart wants what the heart wants mama," He says sullenly.

"George, You and I know that Sheldon ain't ever been like normal boys. Had Sheldon been like every other boy his age, bringing girls around for a long time. You might have found one or two that struck your fancy, or you might've taken them just because you could. Amy however is the only girl he has ever brought around. Hell she's the only human I think he has admitted that he likes. You ain't going to mess this up for him. Now take a shower, and go to bed. We will deal with this later." Mary says getting up and walking out of the bathroom.

It was never good to find your child passed out drunk in the lawn. Now to add this Amy nonsense to it. George better not mess this up for Sheldon. Mary had been young once, she had once had two boys fighting for her affection. It was a tantalizing position to be in. Especially for a girl like Amy who never had boys fighting over her before. She could hardly blame the girl if she did get curious about what it would be like with another boy. When she was Amy's age she went through boys like tissue paper. Once she had even dated brothers and not even given it a second thought. Amy had been hot and heavy with Sheldon and that was it. George was an attractive young man, it was not lost on Mary how little girls reacted to her son. He had that kind of swagger that girls seemed drawn to. If Amy did find herself drawn to her older son, especially if George was laying it on thick. Sheldon would be crushed if it happened. He might never recover from it. Once Sheldon was burned by something he did not go back.

Mary had to admit this was not the best start to an otherwise pleasant morning. But Mary was one of those people who believed things could only go up from the bottom. Boy was she wrong. As the day progressed things only got worse.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amy drives Missy and Sheldon back home after Missy's shower. The car ride is chilly Amy is upset with Missy for raining on her parade. Missy still can't believe that these two dorks are planning on getting married.

"Missy we would appreciate if you kept our news under your hat for a while," Sheldon tells Missy twisting around in his seat to face her.

"Whatever," Missy shrugs.

Missy can't pinpoint what bothers her the most about it. Then it dawns on her, it will be just like what happened with Becky. Missy had been very close with her cousin Becky who got married two years ago at sixteen. Before Becky got pregnant and married they were best friends. So close that people used to think they were the twins and Sheldon was the cousin. Practically inseparable during the summers even if Becky was older, she never minded Missy tagging along. Then she got a serious boyfriend and she did mind Missy coming along. Then she got pregnant and married and Missy hardly ever saw her anymore. Even if she had promised that things wouldn't change and they would still be best friends, that they were family too and would always be together.

Now Becky was eighteen with an almost two year old girl and another baby on the way. Missy sometimes went over to visit her, but it wasn't much fun. Missy had no illusions about what marriage entailed. Between Becky and her parents marriage, she could see being married meant staying at home with the kids while your husband got drunk at a bar.

Missy felt like she had just got Sheldon back. Like he was finally the twin brother she had always wanted. One who wanted to do things with her. Now she was losing him all over again. Amy too, she had grown to really like Amy. Amy was becoming one of her best friends and she would lose her too.

"Hey Missy, do you want to go with me to the mall later?" Amy asks her.

"Not really," Missy says looking out the window. She is so mad right now that she just wants to be left alone.

"Oh okay," Amy says a little shakily like she might cry.

Missy feels bad, she is being a bitch but she can't stop herself. It's not Amy's fault she feels the way she feels. Missy should be happy for her, if she was a good friend then she would be supportive. Maybe she will be later, she just needs time to process everything. They pull up to their house and Amy stops the car.

"Amy, I'm sorry, I've got a killer hangover and sunburn to boot. Maybe later okay?" Missy says getting out and giving her an apologetic smile. "I'll call you."

"Alright," Amy says smiling weakly.

"I'll call you later as well, let you know how it went," Sheldon says getting out of the car. He walks over to the drivers side if the car leans in and kisses Amy in the cheek. "See you later. I love you," He whispers in her ear.

"Love you too, bye," Amy says with a genuine smile looking a bit perkier.

Sheldon stands on the lawn and watches as Amy drives off. An odd feeling twisting at his gut. Like he already misses her, even though the tail lights of her car are visible in the distance. Missy stands beside him hands on her hips. She's got a few questions for him.

"How are you going to tell mama?" She asks.

"Like how I ask for anything, with a well reasoned argument and a thoughtful powerpoint presentation," He tells her.

"Seems like the right way to tell your mother you want to get married at seventeen," Missy snorts but the sarcasm is lost on Sheldon.

"Yes, I thought so," He says as they walk across the lawn. Missy steps in something squishy and looks down to see her foot submerged in something pink that looks a lot like barf.

"Ewww… Oh my god! What is that!" Missy squeals standing on one foot. Kicking off the flip flop now covered in goop.

"It looks like stomach contents," Sheldon says gagging and covering his nose and mouth with his shirt. "Smells like it too," He says gagging again.

"Like barf?" Missy states horrified.

"Vomit, yes," Sheldon replies while backing away and looking anywhere else.

"Who barfed on our lawn?" Missy yells.

"Probably Matthew Johnson," Sheldon huffs.

"For god's sake Sheldon! Matthew Johnson is not responsible for every bad thing that has ever happened. He is like your Red Herring." Missy says.

"My who?" He asks in confusion.

"Red Herring, you know from a Pup Named Scooby Doo. Fred is always accusing Red Herring." Sheldon just gives her an odd look and she sighs. "Forget I forgot you lived under a rock your entire childhood. Just get me the hose will you," Missy say shaking her hands at him and he gets the hose from the side of the house and sprays her feet.

"You may want to take another shower," Sheldon tells her as they walk inside the house

"You think?" Missy asks.

"Yes, I just told you I thought that," Sheldon says solemnly.

"Just when I think you are becoming normal. You go and say something weird," Missy grumps.

"What are ya'll fighting about?" Mary asks as she hears the voices enter the house.

"Somebody barfed in the yard," Missy tells her holding up her wet foot.

"That somebody is your big brother, found him passed out drunk in the yard this morning. Know anything about that?" Mary asks suspiciously.

"Last I saw him he was fine," Missy says innocently.

"Well, he had been making you and Amy rum and cokes... so not fine. Amy against her will mind you mother," Sheldon blurts out.

"Against her will? What does that mean?" Mary asks. Though she has an inkling from Juniors earlier confession. Alcohol and poor decisions factored into a lot of young boys conquests Mary thought.

"He spiked her cola without asking. Missy knew too and let it happen! Then they made this insane bet that George could kiss Amy by the end of summer. I am sure the alcohol played into it somehow," Sheldon says angrily and Mary looks over to Missy shocked. Missy is furious.

"Doesn't take long for you to throw me under the bus huh brother?" Missy says "I'm going to tell mama what you are planning on doing."

"Missy, I don't want to hear it! Two wrongs don't make a right. Now tell me did you let Amy drink alcohol and not tell her about it? Then participate in a bet at Amy's expense? Is this true?" Mary yells.

"Yes but…" Missy starts only to be cut off.

"You do know that Amy is in our charge. That if something were to happen to her we would be held responsible. What if ya'll had been caught? You could have gotten Meemaw in trouble! Do you realize that? Do you ever just stop and think about how your actions affect others?" Mary says frustrated that both Missy and Junior could be this irresponsible.

"Sheldon has a solution for that he.." Sheldon's head whips to Missy with a look of warning on his face but Mary interrupts her.

"I don't care about Sheldon Missy, you need to take responsibility for your actions!" Mary tells her. "Do you know how close Amy is to having to go back to her mama? If she found out about this she would be trying to get her back right away."

"Arrggh!" Missy screams shocking both Mary and Sheldon. "This family is sooo dysfunctional. Ya'll know that right? You like to act like everything's perfect but we are all screwed up," Missy says stomping away.

"I know we're weird, I have no illusions! Now you go to your room Missy!" Mary yells uselessly as Missy is already in her room slamming the door. "Well Shelly looks like you yet again are the only one of my children not to disappoint me today," She tells him patting her back. He does not say anything instead he just looks at her weird and disappears down the hall and into his room.

Mary goes into the den to lay on the couch watch her stories and nurse the migraine threatening to pop through her skull. How quickly a nice quiet morning turned to chaos when there were three teenagers living under one roof. About an hour into her retreat Sheldon knocks at the door and looks in nervously.

"I was wondering if I might make a small presentation to you mother?" He asks holding his laptop under his arm. The laptop bought with grant money, Mary had no clue until Sheldon came along that sometimes they just paid you to be smart.

"I suppose," Mary says equally as nervous.

Sitting through one of Sheldon's presentations was never fun. It was normally met with her having to say no to some crazy idea he had cooked up. When he was eight he had wanted an eagles egg and some lion semen so he could make himself a mythical creature. He had walked into this same den with four pieces of poster board set up on his old easel. In carefully cut out letters were 'Why Sheldon Cooper needs a Griffin.' Then he had proceeded to outline in great deal how much protection for the whole family a Griffin would give. Mary had tried to gently tell him no, while his father had just laughed him off.

Then after they had forgotten to pay the power once and were in the dark for a night. Sheldon had come up with the idea he could power the whole neighborhood from their shed. He had waltzed back in with new poster boards and a fresh argument. That was once again shot down. Not that it had stopped him from trying his damndest in the end to do it anyways.

Mary watches as Sheldon sets up his laptop on the coffee table. He starts up the laptop and fiddles with it until the whole screen is filled. Mary reads out loud curiously.

"The meaning of the word marriage? Sheldon what is the meaning of this?" Instead of answering her she continues reading his presentation.

"The meaning of marriage is twofold first it is the legally or formally recognized union of a man and a woman. It is also combination or mixture of two or more elements.

like in alchemy" Then he gets to the next slide. "In days of yore people got married at as young as thirteen. Mind you this was mostly for political reasons, and the median age of marriage was twenty-two. It was not unheard of. Jerry Lee Lewis married his cousin when she was just thirteen."

"Sheldon why are you talking to me about marriage! Don't you dare show me another slide," Mary warns.

"I asked Amy to marry me," Sheldon says seriously. Knowing he had to steel his nerves at this point of the presentation and not back down.

"Yeah, like your promise ring, you want to marry Amy when you are older," Mary says carefully still wondering where this was going.

"No, like soon preferably as soon as possible. However I need your permi..." He starts.

"Over my dead body!" Mary exclaims and a migraine finally begins.

"If you would just let me finish my presenta…" Sheldon pushes.

"Sheldon you are seventeen! You are far too young to even think about getting married! Why in god's green earth are you even entertaining such a thing!" Mary asks.

"You said it yourself mother, Amy is Meemaw's charge. A burden on Meemaw really. Anything she does reflects on Meemaw. Not that she plans on doing anything bad," He reminds.

"Shelly, you know I just said that to make a point to Missy. Amy is no burden on your Meemaw. If anything she has been a blessing to her. Amy helps her cook, clean, drives her around town," Mary says exhaustedly.

"It's not just that, right now her mother could still get her back. The only courses of action to take are to either get Amy legally emancipated. Which would be a long uphill legal battle. Or if she is legally married she is emancipated in the eyes of the law. Amy would be responsible for herself," Sheldon pleads.

"Sheldon your reasons are noble, they really are. But marriage is a huge step not to be taken lightly. I understand you want to protect her. This is just not the way to do it baby. No matter what your practical reasons are, there is more to marriage than practicality," Mary says calming down a bit.

"I thought you might say something like that. Which is why I prepared this slide," Sheldon says clicking his mouse. A new slide pops up with two large golden circles intersecting together. "This is a venn diagram. On one side are all the practical reasons why I want to get married. On the other side are all the impractical reasons and where they intersect are my most solid arguments," Sheldon says the last part with such sincerity Mary is taken aback.

Mary studies the slide and puts her head in her hands and sighs. Both sides of the circles present valid points she can't argue with. Yet it is the part in the middle that tugs at her heart strings. 'I love her, I will never feel this way about another person, I can't lose her.'

"Sheldon… I know it feels like you will never love another girl. But you are so young sugar. You have a lifetime to find out," Mary says carefully.

"Mother, unlike my siblings who declare themselves to be in love every week I never have. I have never wanted to be in love. I did not seek this out, it just happened. If I were to lose Amy I can tell you with certainty that I would never love again because I don't want anyone but her. There is no one prior to or outside of Amy that has ever interested me. Amy is my singularity, the exception to everything I have ever found to be true," He tells her seriously. Mary just looks at him moved but still upset over what he is asking. "I want to marry her mother, and to do it I need your permission."

"Let me pray on it son. God has a way giving us the answers to the tough questions. Let me pray on it and I will get back to you," Mary replies.

"It's all I can ask of you," He says getting his laptop and leaving the room. Mary puts her head to her hands and sends out a prayer. A prayer to give her strength and to help her find answers. Until God decides to answer her she will go to the next best thing. The person who can always answer the tough questions of wisdom and understanding, Meemaw.

 **Some of you asked in tbe comments where my survey was taken. I did a quick poll on Tumblr and Instagram to see what everyone thought of the M rating. You can still participate by leaving me a review. More smut yay or nay?**


	28. Like a Prayer

**Again a big thank you to the best beta ever cutelittlelumpofwool82. Also a thank you to taramisu for a good idea.**

Amy sits in the window seat enjoying the sun's warmth with a book on her lap staring out the window. It had been a long and weird couple of days and it was only going to get weirder in the ensuing days. On Monday she was set to go see her mother. It had been almost two months since she saw her last. She was scared to see her again. What her mother would say to her. What she would say to her mother. If it was up to her she would never see her again. The court appointed mediator said it was necessary. That if she got her mother to enter a plea then a trial could be avoided completely. The sheer thought of having to go through a trial. Of reliving that time spent in the closet makes her shake with fear and anxiety.

Then there was the other news she had to break to her mother. News that Sheldon was surely breaking to his mother right now. Amy wants to call him to see how it's going but she knows she should wait. Amy picks her book back up and tries to get lost in the adventures on the page. It is a silly romance novel. The kind her mother condemned and called candy books. All fluff no substance. Amy had read plenty of books that nourished her mind. Sometimes a little escapism was in order. However today her mind is too full to escape into the pages of her book.

Constance should be home soon so she abandons her leisure time and works on cleaning the house. It is already extremely tidy but Constance was the type of woman who could see a speck of dust from a mile away. After she finishes dusting and polishing the house she moves to the kitchen and decides to bake some cookies. Given the news she might be given today it never hurt to have cookies on hand. Amy used to do the same thing for her mother when she knew she might be upset by something.

With the house cleaned, cookies baked, and the kitchen cleaned again. Amy sits back down on her window seat and picks her book back up when the phone rings. She rushes to answer it hoping it is Sheldon or Missy. Though keenly aware that she is not in her own home she answers it very formally.

"Constance Cooper's residence how may I help you?" Amy answers.

"Amy?" She hears the unmistakable voice of Mary Cooper ask. "Meemaw there yet?"

"No, I am afraid she is still gone. I was expecting her back by now," Amy says nervously.

"Yeah, me too. Let me call up to Auntie's see if she's still there," Mary says and then the line goes dead.

A feeling like an egg being cracked over her head seeps over Amy. The hot then cold flashes of anxiety over Mary's curt treatment over her let her know one thing. In all likelihood Sheldon had spoken to his mother and it had not gone well. Amy wants to call back ask Sheldon about it and apologize to Mary for making her hate her. But Mary would be on the phone with Meemaw and the other line was Missy's and Missy was mad at her too. Amy starts to cry hot tears rolling down her cheeks. It was all so much to take in the last few months, she was completely overwhelmed. Amy cries for almost twenty minutes the weight of the world crushing her shoulders. When the phone rings again Amy tries to compose herself as she answers it again.

"Constance Cooper's residence," She says shakily.

"Amy are you crying?" she heard Mary ask on the other line.

"No," Amy lies. "I just might be getting a cold," Mary isn't fooled since she did not sound like she had a cold a few minutes ago.

I just called up Auntie and Meemaw will be there for at least another day. I am sorry if It sounded like I hung up on you I was just in a tizzy. Meemaw don't drive much nowadays. I was worried about her not being home. Don't you worry yourself none she is fine. Auntie just is still feeling poorly so she is sticking around." She explains.

"Oh okay," Amy sighs, relieved that Constance was alright and that Mary didn't question her lie.

"She would have told you but it plum escaped her mind. Poor Auntie has been running her ragged I'm afraid. Now honey are you going to be okay rattling around that big old house by yourself?" Mary asks worriedly.

"I'll be fine thank you for worrying about me," Amy replies softly.

"Now Amy there is something else I want to talk to you about. Something serious, I think you might already know what it is," Amy feels another wave of panic sweep over her, here it comes.

"I am going to guess you talked to Sheldon," Amy says tentatively.

"I did, and I must say he dropped quite a bombshell on me," Mary says and Amy feels it is important to make it clear this was Sheldon's idea. That she wasn't cuckolding her son into anything.

"To be honest Mrs. Cooper it surprised me as well. It took some convincing for me to be on board," Amy starts.

"So this was Sheldon's idea?" Mary asks wanting to get things clear.

"Originally yes, however I do want to marry him too. I love your son very much," Amy says sincerely.

"Amy honey, I know… But ya'll is just so young! You ain't pregnant right?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Missy asked the same thing when she found out. No I'm not and do not plan on being for a very very long time… If ever…" Amy mumbles.

"Missy knows about this?" Mary asks shocked. Amy flushes, she had assumed Missy would have been in on the conversation. She hopes she did not just get Missy in trouble Missy was mad enough at her already.

"We told her earlier, I thought she would have told you," Sheldon had told Missy not to tell but Missy rarely listened to him.

"For heaven's sake, that's what she was trying to tell me. Seems I owe Missy an apology. Boy she's going to enjoy me eating crow," Mary sighs.

"I hope I didn't just get Missy in trouble or Sheldon in trouble for that matter," Amy asks her worried.

"No sugar, not in trouble… However I do want you to think long and hard on this decision you are making. Pray on it, like I'm going to do. I know that Sheldon, doesn't take stock in what the good lord says. If I tell him to pray on it he will scoff at me. We both know that once Sheldon has made a decision that there is no force on earth that can sway him. Except maybe you Amy, that boy listens to what you say like it's the gospel. Just take some time to pray on it for me," Mary begs.

"I will Mary, I promise," Amy tells her.

"Maybe you and Sheldon should not see each other a day or so. Take the time to think and pray. Now I am not separating you for good. I think that would be a bad idea. It's just that ya'll are so wrapped up in each other that some time apart might help clear your heads," Mary suggests.

"Oh, alright," Amy says disappointed. The next few days were going to be rough. Seeing her mother for the first time was weighing heavily on her. Amy wanted Sheldon around as moral support.

"Just a day or so, just to clear your head. Don't you worry though I'll have him back to you by Monday. I know you'll want him there after you see your mother," Mary reassures.

"Thank you Mary," Amy says relieved.

"Meemaw should be back tomorrow after church. You just hang in there ok sugar."

After Amy gets off the phone with Mary She decides to try and get some work done. It is summer but she still wants to get a jump on her coursework for next year. Amy logs onto her computer she took from her bedroom at her mother's house. It was one of the few luxuries her mother had agreed to purchase for her. When it came to school her mother had no problem sparing no expense. The Gateway was probably one of the newest nicest thing she had ever owned. Meemaw didn't have a computer or an internet connection when she moved in but Amy helped her set one up and pay for it. There were some research projects and some pre college requirements she would need one for. Meemaw did not like her online for very long because it tied up her phone line. With Meemaw being out again for the night she decides to log on for awhile. The first thing she sees when she logs on is that Sheldon is on his Aim account. Her fingers itch to hit his name and message him. Even with her promise to Mary to keep her distance and pray on it. Amy chews on the end of her pencil debating ignoring Mary's request when the decision is made for her and the window pops up with a message for her.

1980: Good Preevning.

AmyFarrah79: Hello, you know I shouldn't be talking to you.

1980: Why?

AmyFarrah79: I talked to your mother. :(

1980: I talked to my mother too, then subsequently heard her speaking to Meemaw.

AmyFarrah79: Oh? What did Meemaw say?

1980: So you know how my mother feels, it seems Meemaw feels differently.

AmyFarrah79: Do tell.

1980: Drat, there is a call coming in. Be on again around 9:00 tonight make it a date?

AmyFarrah79: Certainly.

Amy sees Sheldon disconnect shortly after and sighs. It is only 4:00 the time until she can talk to Sheldon again feels like a lifetime away. She wants to know what Meemaw said, she wants to know what he thinks, most of all she just wants him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sheldon detests the slow dial up connection on his computer. He knows there are faster connections now but his mother won't spring for them. It has gotten slightly better since Missy got her own phone line. It was almost useless to go online before that. Missy and her silly friends would disrupt the connection every thirty minutes. He is particularly angry at the timing of this call. There is much he needs to discuss with Amy. Her being online while staying with Meemaw was no guarantee. Although he could only hear one side of the conversation between his mother and Meemaw it had been eye opening.

"Guess what Shelly asked me today."

"Noo… He asked me permission to marry Amy."

"What do you mean good? You do know how old Shelly is?"

"Yes, I know he is your grandson too… Yes, I know what age you were when you married Pop-Pop."

"Meemaw! There was a war going on! You were afraid that if you didn't marry him then you would lose your chance! Shelly ain't going off to war."

"I think all ya'll is crazier than a bunch of jaybirds!"

"Fine, maybe we all need some time to pray and think on this."

"Love you too… See you tomorrow."

Sheldon had been grinning like the Cheshire cat when his mom got off the phone. Why did his mother always insist on disagreeing with him when he was almost always right? Meemaw knew she always agreed with what he said. He hears his mother answer the phone. He can tell it is a church acquaintance by the overly cheerful way she greets them.

"Hi there! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mary replies.

"Oh yes I have been meaning to thank you for giving him a chance and keeping him on…"

"Did he now? Yesterday you say? That is mighty interesting," All of a sudden the air is punctuated with a loud yell.

"He did what?!" Sheldon and Missy poke their heads out of their rooms. They look at each other curiously. A cold sweat breaking out on Sheldon's brow. His mother had distinctly said "he" did what. Missy was in the clear. "Yes, thank you for telling me. We will pay you back I assure you," Mary promised as she hangs up the phone.

"That tone of voice from mother can only mean someone is trouble," Sheldon tells Missy as they both walk into the hall.

"Not just trouble but the deepest pile of trouble you can ever step in. A George's barf pile in the lawn type of trouble," Missy agrees and Sheldon nods. He racks his brain trying to think if there is anything he hasn't already told his mother when they heard her bellow again.

"George Thomas Cooper Junior, you get your sorry ass down here right now!" Missy and Sheldon share a meaningful look.

"Mama said a swear word and used his whole name this is going to be good," Missy says gleefully. Sheldon just holds his finger to his mouth to tell her to be quiet. They hear George's door open as he staggers out slowly still half asleep. Not even aware his younger siblings were lingering in the hall.

Sheldon is relieved that whatever has just been revealed to his mother is not about him. George must have really done something awful, for her to use his whole name. He was Junior when she was happy, George when she was neutral, George Junior when she was mad. Sheldon had only heard his brothers whole name uttered a handful of times. Each time his brother had been deep in the stew.

"What mama?" Sheldon hears his brother grump as he makes his way down the hall to his mother.

"Don't you mama me! I just heard something very interesting about you and your job today."

"Yeah about that… I…" George begins.

"Got fired! For making out with some girl!" Mary replies sternly arms crossed.

"Not just some girl mama, She is special to me," George tries to defend.

"Like how Amy is special to you?" Mary says skeptically.

"Where did you hear that?" George stutters his eyes going wide and face turning red.

"From you! This morning, when you was drunk as a skunk bawling about how much you love her," Mary replies exasperated. Sheldon feels himself shaking with anger as his fists instinctively clench. His brother was as low down as they came. Even after everything he and Amy did to discourage Junior he was still infatuated with Amy.

"I can explain…" He whispers with his head down.

"Can you explain why you took 100 dollars from the snack bar! Can you tell me where that is now?" Sheldon could slap himself. He hadn't questioned it at all when his brother had paid for their night of fun. Amy's engagement ring was tainted now with ill gotten gains. He would have to get it back from her and return it. He looks at Missy and raises his eyebrows silently asking if she knew about this. Missy raises her hands and shakes her head no.

"I was just getting my pay! He said he wasn't going to pay me for the day," George explains.

"You don't make no hundred dollars a day," Mary says.

"Severance pay plus pain and suffering?" George answers lamely.

"I am going to pay him back. I'm pretty sure you have already pissed away the money you took. So you are going to work for me and pay this off. You are grounded the rest of the summer," Mary says tiredly.

"I am too old to ground," George replies stubbornly.

"You ain't too old to eat my food, you ain't too old to have me do your laundry. My house my rules," Mary snaps giving him a hard glare.

"Maybe I will move out then," George threatens.

"You need a job and money to move out!" Mary says exasperated.

"God mom you are being such a bitch!" He growls sounding eerily like their father. That was enough for Sheldon.

"Now that is enough!" He had listened to his brother try and claim his woman and insult his mother long enough. He marches down the hall with his fists still clenched. Missy follows hot on his heels curious about what her brother was about to do. "I have had just about enough of you making a play for my fiancé. Throwing insults at mother has crossed a whole new line. You dim witted jackanape.

"What are you going to do about it poindexter?" George says shoving Sheldon in his chest as he rounds the corner and stands up to him. He is a bit startled at the fiancé part but quickly brushes it off. Sheldon might be misusing the term.

"I may not be able to best you in a matter of fisticuffs but I can try my best," He says standing tall and looking as threatening as he can.

"You have the upper body strength of an elf," George laughs pushing Sheldon again, but he doesn't budge this time.

"I don't know I always imagined elves to be like army ants, able to carry double their body weight. They would have to have tremendous upper body strength to help Santa. I just assume we are talking about Santa's elves here. If we are talking about the elves in Lord of the Rings then you have just paid me a compliment," Sheldon replies haughtily.

"You know you are such a nerd that actually hurts," George sighs.

"No you are mistaken this hurts," He says punching George as hard as he can.

"You are going to regret that!" George growls raising his fist but Mary grabs it.

"Now ya'll stop it! I have had enough of both of ya'll today. Go to your rooms!" Mary shouts.

"I was defending you!" Sheldon says wounded.

"I know that sugar but I am at my wit's end right now. I need a break from all of this," Mary says putting her head in her hands. "Just go to your rooms all ya'll and let me sort this out."

"I am going out," Missy says flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I was already sent to my room earlier, I served my time," Missy says walking into the living room and grabbing her purse. Mary doesn't try to stop her. One less child in the house may just be what the doctor ordered.

"You two go to your rooms," Mary says sternly.

"I still say I am too old," George gripes.

"I didn't even do anything," Sheldon says dumbfounded.

"Now!" Mary screams and the boys quickly retreat into their rooms without question.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Missy starts out towards her friend Kimberly's House. Then she stops when she is about halfway there. It has been weird between them ever since she tried to kiss Sheldon. Ever since she got her new boyfriend she had been seeing less and less of Missy. Plus her family was so normal it was hard for her to commiserate when Missy's family put the fun in dysfunctional. That is why Missy used to love to practically live with Kimberly in the summer. Her dad never came home stinking drunk, her mom didn't smack you over the head with the bible, and her little sister was the sweetest thing in the whole world. It was the opposite for Kimberly she liked being at Missy's where there was excitement and drama. Missy didn't feel like being her entertainment tonight. Besides if she told Kimberly about what Sheldon was planning. The neighborhood would be throwing Amy a baby shower before a wedding shower with no proof.

So Missy turns the other way and heads towards Meemaw's house. The walk is longer but Amy would understand what she was going through. Amy had a quiet way of listening that made you feel special. She always offered sound advice, and besides she was as good as part of the family now too. Missy knocks on the door and Amy answers it right away. The inside smells like freshly baked cookies and Missy wonders if Meemaw was home.

"You will not believe what's going on over at casa de Cooper. Is that cookies I smell? Is Meemaw home?" Missy blurts out in a rush.

"I made cookies for Meemaw but she isn't coming home until tomorrow. Come on let's go eat some and you can tell me what's going on," Amy says following Missy into the kitchen.

Amy puts a plate of cookies on the table and pours them each a glass of milk. Missy recounts the crazy day she has had. From stepping in George's barf, to overhearing her mom's conversation with Meemaw. Ending with the showdown between Sheldon and George. Amy listens to all of it calmy. Even if she is bursting with questions, she waits until Missy's tale is done.

"Did he really punch George?" Amy asks in awe.

"Yepp! Looked like he might of broken his fist afterwards but he did it," Missy chuckles taking her third cookie. "These cookies are sooo good, it's a good thing I came to help eat them. Meemaw might think you were trying to steal her thunder with these." Missy teases.

"They're not that good," Amy says blushing. "So tell me more about what you heard Meemaw saying to your mom."

"I told you I could only hear one side, but it seems Meemaw was in favor of you two gettin' hitched. Which is funny because when ya'll first started getting hot and heavy she was against it. You must be making her all sorts of cookies," Missy says winking at Amy.

'So Sheldon called me his fiancee?" Amy says changing the subject. Amy wishes she could have just been there to witness the whole thing.

"He sure did! George looked like he had the wind knocked out of him. More so than when Sheldon actually did knock the wind out if him," Missy says giggling. "You know I was in a foul mood all day. Then I come around you and you made me feel better. There could be worse things in the world than being able to call you my sister," Missy says thoughtfully.

"I've always wanted to have a sister," Amy tells her.

"Me too, girl. Used to pray for it every single night. Looks like I might have finally gotten my wish," Missy says grinning and happy tears start rolling down Amy's face.

"Does this mean we have your blessing?" Amy asks hopefully.

"You got it sister. Now stop crying!" Missy says tearing up and hugging Amy around the shoulders. "You know, I have it on good authority that Meemaw has a hidden copy of Dirty Dancing in her bedroom. Prude as she is, the woman loves her some Swayze," Missy whispers conspiratorially.

"What's that about?" Amy asks curiously.

"Omigosh! You've never seen Dirty Dancing?! It's only the best movie ever made girl. Come on sister I'm about to give you an education," Missy says excitedly.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Amy watches the movie with eyes as big as saucers. Missy was right this was one of the best movies ever made. Amy starts fancying herself and Sheldon a bit like Johnny and Baby. Except nothing like them, even though they had kissed in a lake. Amy's mother ministered what she watched closely. This was far and away the most risque movie she had ever seen. It was thrilling and sexy and filled her with a longing for her boyfriend. Well fiancé that she had just promised to stay away from. Missy had already called her mother and told her she was spending the night with Amy. Right now she is passed out on couch snoring loudly. When nine o'clock rolls around Amy practically runs to her computer.

AmyFarrah79: Hey babe.

1980: Did Missy ply you with alcohol again?

AmyFarrah79: No why?

1980: Then are you on drugs? I do not approve of babe.

AmyFarrah79: You're a mood killer :p

1980: I was not in a particularly good mood to begin with.

AmyFarrah79: I heard, poor baby you got in trouble defending my honor.

1980: And my mother's… It is true chivalry is dead.

AmyFarrah79: Not in my book. To me you are a hero. Minstrels shall write songs about you.

1980: lol.

AmyFarrah79: There's a smile :)

1980: Not really, I sat here straight faced as I typed that. It was a pity lol.

AmyFarrah79: Well I still think what you did was very sexy.

Amy chews her finger after typing that. It was a bold move and she hopes he bites. It takes him a while to type back and she gets nervous. Then his reply pings on screen.

1980: You failed to mention sexy earlier.

AmyFarrah79: I always think you are sexy. I miss you.

1980: I miss you as well.

AmyFarrah79: I have a hard time sleeping without you.

1989: I wish I could be there with you. I must say it is rather unfair Missy can. Missy committed a much greater offense than I.

AmyFarrah79: Your mother isn't worried about what goes on when she spends the night. She knows that you and I would be naughty.

1980: What would we do to be naughty?

AmyFarrah79: You know what naughty things we do. ;)

1980: I want you to tell in detail exactly what naughty things we could do.

Amy gasps out loud at her computer. Was he really asking her to do this? What if George had somehow hacked his computer and it was him she was talking to. Preposterous the only computer in the Cooper home was in Sheldon's bedroom. His bedroom was a fortress no way he could get in there and hack Sheldon's firewalls. Besides if this was George when she had typed babe his reply would have been 'sup babe.

1980: I'm waiting...

Amy had been keeping him waiting and it thrills her to think he is as excited about this as she is. It would be like when she wrote out her own romance stories. Only she would have done everything before. And she was telling them to her boyfriend. Amy flushes at the thought excitement coursing through her.

AmyFarrah79: First I would kiss you just below your ear. Then I would kiss your mouth. Then I would pull off your shirts so I could feel your skin. What would you do?

1980: I would undress you as well. Then I would kiss you in that spot you like on the base of your neck. Then I would kiss you down your collarbone. What do you do?

AmyFarrah79: I would pull you close so I could feel you pressed against me.

: Then what do you do?

"Hey Amy sorry I fell asleep," She hears Missy say behind her. She must have just walked in but Amy was so wrapped up in her screen she didn't hear her. "It's been a long day," Amy tries to shut down her computer before Missy can see what's on it but it's too late. "What are you doing looking at porn… Oh no… this is way better than porn," Missy laughs.

"Please don't tell!" Amy pleads.

"Oh I ain't going to tell… I'm going to get him over here," Missy says with a sly grin on her face.

 **Wow thank you so much for all the reviews! This story gets so much love and it really makes happy. Let me know what you think about the chapter by leaving a review**


	29. Always, Forever

Think of this as a continuation on the last chapter. I had a craving for fluff and I needed to satisfy my sweet tooth. So Enjoy! Thank you again to cutelittlelumpofwool82 for being an amazing beta. Silencekeeper028 for being a great friend and suggesting a drawing to rgncn about this story the fueled my fluff meter.

"We can't bust him out!" Amy whispers loudly at Missy as she walks quickly down the street. Missy is skipping ahead of her gleefully and Amy is trying to stop her.

"Why can't we?" Missy laughs.

"He is already in trouble partly because of me," Amy huffs.

"He is in trouble because mama was on the warpath already," Missy says looking back over her shoulder.

"He likes to follow the rules he won"t want to be rescued," Amy reminds.

"Oh yes he will," She replies in a singsongy voice.

"You know Missy your stance on our relationship is giving me whiplash. One minute you want to disown us for wanting to get married. The next you are arranging a lovers tete tete," Amy says raising a brow at Missy.

"What can I say Dirty Dancing got me in the mood for love. Looks like it got you in the mood for luurvv too," Missy says stopping so she can elbow Amy and wiggle her brows suggestively.

"Missy!" Amy says embarrassed then she decides to turn the tables on Missy a bit. Make her the one who is squirming for a change. "Speaking of love Missy. Why don't you have a boyfriend. You are like the prettiest girl I've ever met. You would think guys would be lined up around the block to date you," Amy asks and Missy slows her pace and looks thoughtful.

"Yeah but we live in this town so I've seen most of the boys on the block. Dated a few of them, and just plain don't like the rest," Missy sighs.

"There has to be someone in this town who has caught your eye," Amy wheedles trying to get the heat off herself.

"No, not at all… I mean I used to like to go out a lot. I had a new boyfriend every single week. Then it just started to feel… I dunno…empty? I was going out, drinking, being with boys. But none of it felt fun anymore. So why risk getting in trouble if in your heart you ain't havin' any fun It's been like that since daddy died. George does the opposite he does as much as possible to fill up the emptiness, and Sheldon well? Before you came along he just shut out everything," Missy shrugs. It was a deeper answer than Amy had expected. Which surprised Amy but she enjoyed the candor.

"I know how you feel. Perhaps that is why you are always trying to help Sheldon and I? It is an aspect of your life you are lacking in. You know I read a study on twins…" Amy starts.

"Oh no sister! Don't you try and shrink me! Sheldon will be the first to tell you we are fraternal twins. No more alike than any other brother and sister. Hell me and you are more alike than Sheldon and me," Missy groans.

"I'm not saying you're alike, I am saying their is a bond between you. A bond that may not make itself readily apparent most of the time, but it's there," Amy explains.

"Agree to disagree. But hey you want to bust lover boy out or not?" Missy asks.

"I already told you no!" Amy hisses.

"Well too bad we're doing it anyway," Missy says as the approach the Cooper house.

"I'm telling you Sheldon isn't going to want to break out! We will be standing outside his window like fools as he tells us to go away and let him serve his time," Amy whines.

"Here I thought you knew Sheldon so well," Missy tutts. "Sheldon while having a love of rules that borders on unhealthy. Sheldon also has a strong sense of justice. Being as though he was unfairly sent to his room…"

"What are you guys doing here?" They hear Sheldon ask as he walks out from the side of the house.

"What are you doing here? Did mom let you out already?" Missy asks shocked.

"Not exactly," Sheldon says guiltily. "Come on let's walk," He says grabbing Amy's hand.

"Sheldon did you escape from your window?" Amy asks taking in his messed up hair and the scuffed knees on his pants.

"I may have," He says evasively walking briskly down the street.

"Well you stole our thunder. We were coming to rescue you. I was going to move our old trampoline under the window to break your fall. It's a bigger drop than you expected huh?" Missy smirks.

"Missy please! I have a genius level IQ. I easily calculated the distance from my window to the ground," He huffs.

"Yeah but the drop is still rougher than you would expect even with your fancy calculations right?" Missy says knowingly.

"Yeah," Sheldon agrees sheepishly.

"Sheldon I am shocked that you snuck out when you were grounded. I mean you have snuck out before but never when your mother expressly forbade it," Amy says impressed.

"Never have I been falsely imprisoned before," He says hotly.

"You were worried about Amy and why she disconnected all the sudden," Missy says wryly.

"Who does that? At least warn me you are about to go away. Wait how do you know that?" Sheldon asks suspiciously but before Amy can answer Missy says.

"What's the matter Shelly got blue balls?" He looks at her shocked and the expression on his face makes her dissolve into giggles.

"Missy walked in and saw our conversation. I tried to log off before she saw too much. Obviously she saw enough," Amy says with her cheeks burning.

"This is embarrassing," Sheldon sighs shaking his head.

"Oh no it's cute! I love...LOVE!" Missy shrieks.

"She watched Dirty Dancing and now she is in the mood for love," Amy tells Sheldon and he rolls his eyes.

"If that is what you two are up to then maybe I should duck back in my window," Sheldon says dryly.

"You have seen that movie?" Amy asks curiously.

"Heaven's no! However my sister has watched it so much I know it's soundtrack. If I hear "Hungry Eyes" playing I stay out of the den," He tells her.

"Well don't you worry the movie is over…" Missy chuckles.

"Hey Missy!" A girls yells as a red convertible pulls up to them on the road. Missy walks over to the car and leans in.

"What are ya'll up too?" She asks.

"We were just going to the lake. You want to come with us? Plenty of room," A girl in the back says.

"Ya'll mind?" Missy asks Sheldon and Amy. The invitation had not been extended to them and there was not room anyways.

"Not at all!" Sheldon says a little too excited to be shed of his meddlesome sister. Amy nudges him with her elbow and says more kindly.

"No Missy, go ahead have fun," Amy smiles.

"Bye ya'll!" She says jumping in the back of the car.

They watch as the taillights disappear down the road then continue on their journey. Amy has always liked this time of day in the summer. Just after eight and the sky is a purplish pink with the stars just beginning to pop out. The lights from the houses cast a golden glow on the sidewalk. Amy likes to look inside the houses and see snips of other people's lives. Lives much more ordinary and less complicated than her own. Families with a mom and a dad happily sitting together. Families like she always wished she had. Amy wonders if she and Sheldon will be a family like that when they get married. Their marriage wouldn't be conventional to say the least. They would be spending the first part of it in college. Then who knew after that, there was grad school, they both wanted to get their doctorates. Amy wanted to go abroad for awhile. Their marriage might never be normal by traditional standards but it would be theirs and that's what mattered.

"You know maybe you should go back in your window," Amy says slyly looking up at him and he looks down at her curiously.

"You don't want to be with me?" He asks a bit wounded.

"I do," Amy says curling her arm around his. "I also want to finish what we started," Amy whispers.

"You liked our AIM's huh?" Sheldon asks feeling a little cocky. Amy ducks her head into his side and nods her head embarrassed. "Good, you do know that was really a test right?"

"A test for what?" Amy says moving her head up to look at him.

"To see if it would work, if we could communicate our feelings like that electronically. College is three short months away. Even with us going to the same school. I will be in my dorm and you will be in yours. In actuality you will be farther away from me then than you are right now. Some nights that may be the only way we get to talk. I must say I found it to be just as thrilling as the real thing," He muses and Amy stops and looks at him.

"Just as thrilling?" She asks as she moves in front of him and stands on her tippy toes to kiss him. He wraps his arms around her waist and lifts her up so she can reach him better. His hands wandering down to gently cup her rear end making her gasp.

"Maybe not just as thrilling as this," He agrees as she breaks away and he sets her down. "A close enough approximation that I now have an alternative when I need to slake my need for you." Amy likes the way that sounds like she is his drug he needs his fix of.

"I'm sure there will still be plenty of time for need slaking when we are in college. I mean isn't that what the college experience is all about?" She teases him and he looks scandalized.

"Amy Farrah Fowler! I am going to college for an education. I am not going to treat it as a den of the senses," He says as they round the corner and turn into Meemaws driveway.

"You better not! You will be a married man by then," She scolds teasing him but he stops and grabs her looking at her seriously.

"Amy?" He asks and the look in his eyes is so intense that it has Amy worried.

"What?" She asks as he takes her hand and rubs her green lantern ring between his fingers.

"I have to take this ring back," He tells her and she feels like the air from her lungs have been sucked out. What does he mean take it back? Amy knew it was too good to be true.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Amy asks softly her voice cracking. How did they go from slaking his needs to taking back the ring.

"What? No! I got this ring with tickets won from tokens purchased by George who purchased them with stolen money. Keeping it wouldn't be honest, and sets the wrong precedent for our union," He explains and Amy contemplates what he just said.

"I suppose we would not want that over our heads like a bad omen. I like my ring though," Amy pouts holding out her hand to look at it.

"I can get you a different one at a later date and for now you can just use your promise ring," He tells her holding out his hand.

"Oh alright," Amy relents taking off the ring and placing it in his waiting palm. "You have to do something to make up for it though," Amy says mischievously.

"I didn't steal the money that purchased the ring," He protests.

"Yes, but you did take back my prized engagement ring so I deserve compensation for my emotional distress," she says sticking out her bottom lip.

"Fine! what do you want?" He relents.

"One piggyback ride," Amy says and Sheldon balks.

"Piggyback ride! Why on earth do you want that?" Sheldon asks in disbelief.

"My legs are tired from walking to rescue you then walking back," Amy says nonchalantly. He knows that that's a made up reason and gives her a look to which she just shrugs her shoulders.

Really It was always something that she wanted. Once in her old school she saw her old crush give one to one of the mean girls. She had been green with envy. Many times after she pictured herself perched on his back with her arms wrapped around his neck. For months she had wanted one from Sheldon but had been too chicken to ask. He has carried her before but only a few times and very short distances.

"Alright from here," He says pointing to the top of the drive. "To there," He says pointing to the end of the drive a couple of yards out.

"Make it to the front door and we have a deal," He looks like he is considering it.

"To the bottom of the sidewalk," He counters.

"To the porch, final offer," She says seriously.

"You have yourself a piggyback ride," He says crouching down in front of her.

Amy climbs on his back and wraps her arms around his neck. He stands up and Amy wraps her legs tightly around his waist. He begins to walk and Amy grips him tightly and he grabs her legs with his hands keeping her steady.

"This isn't too bad at all," Sheldon says as Amy bends down and kisses his cheek.

"See it was not an outrageous request," She teases whispering in his ear.

"Are you quite comfortable back there?" He asks as they walk down the driveway to where his original stopping point was.

"Very," Amy says pleased smiling against his shoulder.

"How about if I do this?" He asks setting off at a gallop making her bounce.

"Okay you can set me down now," She says as they reach the bottom of the sidewalk.

"No, I promised you porch. You will get porch," He chides bouncing her as he jogs up the stairs.

"Okay put me down!" Amy squeals out as he grabs her legs tighter around his waist.

"No, we've gone this far we might as well get inside," He says walking up to the front door. Then he swings her around so he is cradling her in his arms.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" She laughs pushing on his chest as he pushes the door open and marches them inside.

Sheldon walks her to the living room and setting her on her feet before plopping down on the floor exhausted. Amy plops down behind him and leans against his back. They sit there for while catching their breath, resting against each other. Amy reaches for his hand and gives it a squeeze.

"You are going to be in trouble in the morning," Amy says worriedly.

"I am getting used to it," He sighs grabbing her other hand. He leans his head into hers taking a sniff of her hair. "Most of the time it's worth it though," He tells her smiling to himself knowing that she can't see his face.

"Just most of the time? I am worth it all of the time mister!" He laughs.

"Yes and it seems everyone agrees. George has even proclaimed his undying love for you it seems," He laughs.

"Gross," Amy laughs.

"Gross, indeed," He says shaking and Amy laughs again and he can feel the vibrations form her laugh on his back and it is a comforting feeling. "You know most women seem to feel the opposite way about my brother. Are you sure you are completely resistant to his charms? There is nothing he could do to woo you over?" He asks warily.

"Are you being serious right now?" Amy asks tilting her head back to look him in the face.

"This right here. What we have, this is real. There is nothing more than this right here," She says kissing him softly he kisses her back and as the kisses became deeper and more eager Amy pulls away and he looks at her wounded. "My neck is starting to hurt," She says apologetically. He smiles at her and flips around taking her with him so that she is straddling him. Sitting nose to nose.

"There you go. Is that better?" He asks and she kisses him softly.

"Much," She murmurs against his mouth.

Amy brushes her tongue lightly against his lips and he welcomes her in. They kiss until they have to come up for air and their lips are bruised. Amy pushes her hands up the back of his shirt to feel his skin against her hands. He breaks away just long enough to help her pull his shirts off. Then while still kissing her he starts on the buttons of her shirt. His long nimble fingers making quick work of the buttons. He quickly pulls the blouse open and begins to kiss her neck, work his way down to her collar bones. Amy cradles the back of his head with her hands holding his mouth close to her skin. She pulls his head back up to meet her mouth again.

"I want to try something," She whispers into his ear as she works her way from his ear down his neck. Then back up to his ear again. "Lie down," She whispers and he obliges. Amy scoots down him and helps him pull down his pants and underwear. Then she takes him into her hand and starts to stroke him up and down. Feeling him grow larger in her hand. Then she lets go briefly and wiggles out of her underwear and pulls up her skirt. "Touch me like I am touching you," She instructs and he places his hand between her legs and she guides him until he is in the right spot. With his fingers rubbing the right spot she takes him back in her hand and matches his rhythm. Amy is relishing the feeling of his fingers at work and is getting close to reaching her peak when Sheldon asks.

"Amy why are we doing this?" He pants.

"You don't like it?" She asks.

"I enjoy the sensation very much, It just seems there are other things we could be doing," He replies.

"Like you said, electronic communication may be our only resort come fall. I want to be able to accurately picture what you would feel like doing this," Amy moans.

"Do you do this to yourself often?" He asks.

"Not lately, I have you," She admits "Do you do this to yourself?"

"No, I have you," he says. "You see while your plan is good in theory and I must admit your ahem handiwork is magic there is one problem," He says moving his hand and stopping hers. Then he climbs on top of her while kicking off his pants. "You see for now we have this," He says pushing against her.

"I suppose we do," Amy agrees wrapping her legs around him as he thrusts into her. "I suppose we will find even more creative ways to slake your needs this fall."

"I suppose we will, but until then," He says kissing her and moving inside her in a steady rhythm.

"There is this," Amy agrees kissing him again and letting the waves of pleasure overtake her.

 **I hope you enjoyed my fluffy bonus chapter. I now have a question to ask you readers. I have been asked several times when the story is ending. Is what I have this far the nearing of the end or have we barely scratched the surface. I will tell you this the end has been written. However it can go several ways and it is up to you readers to tell me what you would like to see.**

 **It could go…**

 **We are near the stopping point and there is only a few more chapters left. We feel the story is getting stale and we would like closure soon.**

 **I could write forever to reach the end point imagining new things for teen Shamy to do. Or…**

 **We are nearing the end. But get a sequel… A TSC the college years if you will. In this part all the characters from TBBT eventually come into play.**

 **So please give me your thoughts... Reviews are very welcomed! :-)**


	30. Insensitive

**Thank you to my beta cutelittlelumpofwool82. This chapter is a tad more dramatic than the last few.**

Sheldon sits in an uncomfortable chair outside a closed room in the courthouse. He is made even more uncomfortable by the stiff collar on his button up shirt. His mother had insisted that he dress up to go to the courthouse. Even if he was just the moral support sitting outside the door. Meemaw had come with them as well and sits beside him. His mom was coming as soon as she could get off work. All this waiting was making him very nervous. It feels like Amy has been back there for hours. Sheldon is full of nervous energy, having no clue at the outcome of this meeting. Meemaw sets a hand on his knee to keep him from jiggling it up and down.

"Stop it boy, you're making my seat shake," She scolds.

"It's taking a long time," He says arching his head back to look at the door annoyed.

"It's only been twenty minutes," She tells him.

"Why wouldn't they let me go in there with her?" He huffs.

"Because this is between Amy and her mother and you ain't got a place in there," She tells him patting his knee that has started jiggling again.

"I am her husband!" He says looking at Meemaw and raising his eyebrows.

"No you ain't yet either. Right now you are just her fiancé. Being supportive, waiting outside the door is the best thing you can do for her now," Meemaw tells him.

"I suppose you're right," He sighs.

"About that husband stuff, are you sure about that Moonpie?" Meemaw asks.

"I thought you were on my side?" He asks confused.

"I am Moonpie. I just have to know you are sure about this. That you are doing this for the right reasons," Meemaw asks.

"Of course," Sheldon says unwavering.

"You love her?" She asks just to make absolutely sure.

"More than anything," He says softly.

"You want to spend the rest of your life with her?" She asks looking at him seriously.

"I do," He vows confidently.

"Then Moonpie I give you my full support. If they let me I will sign for Amy to marry you. Like I have always said you were born fifty-five and you get older every year. It's about time you settled down old man," Sheldon grins at her and the door opens.

"Are you Sheldon Cooper?" A lady dressed in a navy blue pantsuit asks him. The woman has a helmet of blood hair and a gash of a mouth that is colored with red lipstick. Her overall appearance is severe and she makes Sheldon nervous.

"Yes," He gulps.

"Come with me," She says and he gets up and follows her.

Inside the room is a long light oak table and chairs. The table is covered with papers and folders. On one side of the table Amy sits, looking very small and vulnerable. On the other sits her mother who looks very frail and tired, older than he remembered.

"Mr. Cooper please take a seat," The woman says as she takes a seat at the head of the table. Sheldon sits next to Amy and under the table she quickly grabs his hand. "My name is Amanda Frantz, you may call me Judge Frantz. I am the court appointed mediator and family judge for this case. Our goal is to work this out and spare everyone the pain of a trial. Now Mr. Cooper we are having some trouble establishing timelines. You were the one who rescued Amy and called the police, correct?"

"Amy did not need rescuing! This boy broke into my home and he gets praised for it!" Peggy burst out shaking her finger at Sheldon.

"Mrs. Fowler please refrain from further outbursts," Judge Frantz scolds.

"Correct," He states calmly ignoring Peggy.

"Now Mr. Cooper can you tell us how long it was from when you last spoke to Amy and when you felt the need to go check on her?" She asks.

"Approximately 36 hours. I spoke with her on the phone and I knew she was in trouble," Sheldon begins and Judge Frantz holds up a finger indicating she has a question.

"By trouble you mean what exactly?" Judge Frantz asks while taking notes.

"Well I could hear her mother was angry with her. She had just overheard some shocking news about Amy. So I knew I would not be able to speak with her anytime soon. Amy was often grounded from the phone, or seeing me. Sometimes I was told by Amy that her mother's punishments ran much more severe than that," Sheldon says the last part while glaring at Peggy.

"I can't listen to hearsay, just what you have witnessed so please continue your story Mr. Cooper," Judge Frantz warns.

"The next day she did not show up to take me to school. That night she did not call me and every night for eight months she has never failed to call me at seven o' clock. The next morning when she still failed to show up for school or contact me. I knew something had happened to her and I went to go check," He says.

"By check he means scale my trellis and burst through a window!" Peggy yells her voice shaking. "Not the first time either. This boy stole my baby girl's virtue!"

"Mrs. Fowler I am not going to warn you again. I will shut this down and lock you in prison," Judge Frantz says calmly. "Now Mr. Cooper can you recall the state Amy was in when you found her?"

"I have an eidetic memory of course I can recall every single detail like it was yesterday. Even without my memory I don't think I would ever be able to get that image out of my head. Amy was in the closet she was dirty and her fingers were bloody from trying to claw her way out. There was a large goose egg on her head and a bruise on her chin from where she had fallen. She was so weak from being folded into that closet for so long she could barely stand. Her voice was hoarse from all the screaming she'd done," Sheldon's voice gets thick as he tries to fight back tears. Seeing Amy like that had been traumatizing. Knowing that what had happened had been his fault. Amy squeezes his hand under the table comforting him. It was just like Amy to comfort him when it was her that needed the comfort. "Even through all the trauma she smiled at me when I opened the door and said my name. So I knew she still had her cognitive functions because she recognized me. When I think of what damage could have been done to her brain from what happened…" He says getting choked up again. He never cries it is embarrassing for him to be so close to the edge in front of Amy's mother and some strange woman. However he had been trying to get rid of the image of Amy like that for months. Everytime he thinks of what could have happened he loses it. They say they might be ruining their lives by getting married. When her own mother almost ruined her life by knocking out the part of Amy that made Amy well.. his Amy.

"It's okay Sheldon," Amy tells him soothingly.

"No, it's not okay Amy! You were the salutatorian. You are going to Caltech in the fall. Your own mother could have taken all that away from you in that one blow to the head. All over…" Sheldon growls out.

"You took her innocence! You are acting like I am the monster here when it is you! You control everything she has done since you walked into our lives. If we had never moved here then she would be valedictorian of her school. Amy would be going to Harvard like she was supposed to do, it's her birthright!" Peggy yells slapping the table.

"Enough!" Amy yells standing up and pointing to her mother. "Sheldon did not steal anything from me! It was given freely and quite willingly. Because unlike what you have always said mother sex is not evil. When it is between people who love each other it is beautiful and amazing," Amy says to the shocked face of her mother.

"Amy please, let's keep this on track," Judge Frantz says in a soothing voice.

"Why would I want to go to Harvard? You told me yourself my father wanted nothing to do with me. That he killed himself so he did not have to raise me. Why would I want to follow in those footsteps?" Amy says angrily.

"I said what? Oh Amy… You have to know I was not in my right mind. The reality and the nightmares I have sometimes get mixed together. That's not true at all Amy. He loved you very much, you were his baby girl. He fought so hard to live for you he really did," Peggy says tears streaming down her face.

"Were the dreams and reality mixing when you knocked me out and dragged me in a closet and left me there?" Amy asks emotionlessly.

"Yes, please Amy believe me I never meant to hurt you. I thought it was another nightmare, I had been up for days at that time. What was real and what was fake were blurring together," Peggy pleads pathetically.

"Then why after a good night of sleep did you not let me out? I screamed and cried for you to help me and you kept me in there. I watched your feet pass by the closet door. Watched you stand in front of the door as I called Mommy and you still did not let me out!" Amy says crying in earnest now. Amy squeezes Sheldon's hand so tight it is becoming painful but he squeezes her hand back.

"I'll sign the plea deal," Peggy says wiping tears from her eyes.

The plea deal was the reason they were in this room. Peggy was refusing to sign it and spare Amy the trial. A trial that could in the upcoming months disrupt her school and cause her a lot of undue stress. The deal was light and a lot less then what Amy's mom deserved. A couple years probation and court monitored mental health check-ups. Any sane person would take the plea deal but Peggy had been insisting that she was innocent. That the whole debacle was a big misunderstanding and she deserved to have her name cleared. If the trial ended in Amy's favor it would end badly and she would be looking at five to ten years. But it was a risk Peggy wanted to take since she was so sure of her innocence. What mother wouldn't have done what she did in that situation, Peggy had thought. Now she saw that there was no winning this trial. That the plea deal was the best way for this to end anywhere near amicably.

"Very well, I do feel that it is both of your best interest for it to happen like this. Now Amy you do realize you can't press further charges once this is signed? This will effectively put an end to this proceeding," Judge Frantz explains.

"I don't want to press charges. I just want this to all be over," Amy sniffs wiping her eyes.

"Very well," Judge Frantz says and begins the lengthy process of explaining the plea deal and what it entails. At the end she passes papers over to Peggy for her to sign then over for Amy to add her signature as well.

"Now there is one more item to consider. Amy since you are still a minor you can't be released to your own care. Your mother can assume guardianship over you now that the deal is signed. Now whether you want to return to her care..."

"I don't!" Amy says quickly.

"This much I assumed. Now it says here that your current legal guardian is Mrs. Constance Cooper?" Judge Frantz asks.

"I don't want her living with that boy and his heathen family!" Peggy spits out.

"Excuse me but my Meemaw is more of a Christian than you will ever be!" Sheldon says aggravated.

"You don't have much of a choice," Amy retorts.

"Actually she does. Since she is still your mother and you are still a minor she can assign your guardian since you don't want to live with her, You could look into being emancipated however…" Judge Frantz starts.

"I am getting married," Amy says bravely placing her and Sheldon's clasped hands on the table. "Sheldon and I are getting married," She says smiling at Sheldon and he kisses the hand he's holding.

"When? What is the meaning of this?" Peggy says flabbergasted.

"When does Constance's guardianship over me end?" Amy asks Judge Frantz not looking at her mother.

"Next Monday," The Judge tells her.

"Then we are getting married on Saturday," Amy says and Sheldon looks at Peggy smugly.

"You can't just get married like that?" Peggy asks looking between the two of them.

"I can and I will. Sheldon asked me to marry him and I accepted," Amy says with finality.

"She can't get married this young without my permission can she?" Peggy asks the judge.

"Technically her guardian at the moment is Mrs. Cooper. If she can get Mrs. Cooper to sign for her then yes she can get married. Not that I think it is a good idea. I would advise the young Miss Fowler to consider the weight her decision carries carefully," Judge Frantz says eying Amy.

In her years as a family judge she had seen many seventeen year old girls say they were getting married. They were usually also around seven months pregnant and not on their way to a prestigious college. They had been fighting about the boy before she let him enter. Apparently he was some sort of prodigy genius. This was one of the most unusual cases that she had ever worked on.

"I have never been more sure of anything in my life," Amy says staring her mother in the eye.

"Then I am afraid Mrs. Fowler that there is not much you can do. Once Miss Fowler marries Mr. Cooper then she in the eyes of the law is emancipated and no longer your property. Now let's finish this up so everyone can go home shall we."

When Sheldon and Amy exit the room they feel victorious. Constance and Mary are waiting outside the door looking very anxious. Peggy rushes past them head down not even saying a goodbye to her daughter. Mary takes in the hunched over and free Peggy Fowler and the smiling Amy and surmises things had gone very well.

"Well what happened?" Mary asks eagerly rising from her chair then helping a very stiff feeling Meemaw up. They had been sitting in the hard wooden chairs for almost two hours.

"She signed it!" Amy says hugging Mary. She had explained to Mary all about the court proceedings and what she hoped would ideally happen.

"Oh I am so glad! I still think she deserved worse but it does save you from a nasty trial," Mary says hugging her back.

"You should have seen Sheldon in there he was brilliant!" Amy says beaming at him. He looks proud and ducks his head.

"It was all Amy really. She is the one who got her mother to sign the deal in the end," He says as they start walking down the hall. "While we are here we should go ahead and get our marriage license," Sheldon says as they pass the court's clerk.

"Excellent idea Sheldon. Two birds one stone," Amy agrees. "Good thing I brought all our pertinent paperwork just in case," Amy says tapping her file folder.

"That's my girl," Sheldon tells her kissing her cheek making her blush.

"Wait when are ya'll getting married?" Mary asks she still had not given them her blessing for all this.

"Saturday, oh yes that reminds me. Do you think you can retain the church or at least the pastor for Saturday? You know what? Just make it the pastor we can get married at Meemaw's house. The church will be much to public," Sheldon says.

"Wait, wait wait!" Mary says as they all file into the clerk of courts office. "This is all happening very fast! I don't remember giving ya'll the go ahead for this," Mary huffs.

"Amy has to get married by Monday or her mother can assign her guardian," Sheldon says matter of factly to his mother.

"You should have seen her face when I told her I was marrying Sheldon," Amy says grinning ear to ear remembering the look of utter horror on her mother's face. It was one of the few times in her life she had bested her mother. All her life her mother had controlled everything she did and now she was finally free.

"It was probably something similar to my face when Sheldon told me," Mary says with her hands on her hips.

"No Peggy's was much much worse," Sheldon say sniggering as they join the queue.

"You know getting married to make your mother mad is not a good idea," Mary says. "Peggy pisses me off as much as the next person but…"

"It's not just that," Amy says her face getting serious. "I love your son and I have never been so sure of anything in my life. I promise this won't change anything. Sheldon and I have discussed it we are still going to college. We are even going to stay in our own dorm rooms. We are getting married for ourselves. It won't affect anything in our futures but our happiness," She tells Mary sincerely.

"I just know that there is never going to be another woman for me, so why not lock her down now? It seems like the only logical thing to do," Sheldon says and Amy slaps his shoulder. "What it's true!" He says confused.

"These two young'uns love each other. You would rather them be sinning? Going off to that heathen state of California. Free to fornicate whenever and with whomever they want?" Meemaw asks.

"Meemaw!" They all says shocked and she just shrugs her shoulders.

"Fine! I guess I have no choice but to agree to this," Mary relents as they go through the line.

They make their way to the counter where they fill out their forms and present their paperwork. Once the money is paid and the ink is dry they are free to marry each other. Amy places the licence in her file folder for safekeeping right next to her birth certificate. It feels surreal as they walk out into the parking lot. Amy has been in the building so long she almost expects things to have changed outside. So much has changed for her in the almost five hours she was inside the building it feels like the world should reflect it. Yet the parking lot is just the same as when she left it. The sky is still grey threatening a late afternoon storm that sometimes texas weather could bring.

"Why don't we all meet back up at the house. Gather up Missy and George and go out to celebrate," Mary says as they walk to the cars.

"Sounds good," Amy agrees.

"Good cause if I don't eat soon I might die," Meemaw grumps getting in Amy's car.

"That old woman has plenty of stores before she dies," Mary mumbles. "We can also spend the time planning this wedding of ya'lls," Mary says brightly.

"We don't want anything big!" Sheldon immediately protests.

"Just a very small intimate ceremony. I don't want any fuss at all," Amy agrees.

"Now! I'm not going to see my first child married off with absolutely no fuss! You spring this on me I am allowed a little bit of a fuss," Mary says getting that look she gets that meant Mary was going to get what Mary wanted or else.

"Mother there is not really any time for a big thing," Sheldon starts to protest again.

"You would be surprised what a woman with connections in a small town can do. With very little time and money," Mary says wryly as Meemaw rolls down her window.

"Don't mind me! Just an old woman wasting away in here!" Meemaw calls as she rolls the window back up.

"Let's go get the old bat food before she mistakes her arm as a ham hock and eats it off," Mary says turning and getting in her car.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later they are all gathered at the local Applebee's. It is George's first outing from the house since his mother grounded him and he is grateful for the trip. Missy had insisted on bringing her new boyfriend after she was told her appearance at dinner was mandatory. They had met when she had gone to the lake that night and Missy was already head over heels for him.

"So what's the occasion?" George asks. It is rare the whole family is treated to a dinner out. Mary was a frugal woman especially after her husband died.

"Well Amy got her mother to sign the plea deal which we are all very excited about," Mary starts. George nods taking a sip of his that if it was one of his girlfriends whose mother had just gotten probation there would be no family dinner for it. "And Sheldon and Amy are getting married this Saturday," Mary says proudly.

"Whaa?" He gasps spitting soda all over Missy's date.

"George!" Missy yells wiping her date's face with her napkin.

"It's okay," He says smiling at Missy. Missy grins back at him like an idiot and Mary clears her throat before they kiss.

"Yes, your brother is getting married this Saturday. Consider this the rehearsal dinner," Mary says.

"I heard him call her his fiancé, but I thought he didn't know what the word meant. When did ya'll decide to get married?" He asks looking over at Amy and Sheldon.

"Friday," Sheldon says simply.

"I kind of wanted more of a how and when dude," George says. When he was throwing himself at Amy that would have been good information to know. Not that it would have stopped him.

"That's right Amy, you never really told us how he asked you," Missy says grinning at her new beau again.

"Yeah we all want to hear," He agrees. He would agree with anything Missy wanted at this point he was completely smitten with the leggy brunette. The moment he saw her sitting by the bonfire her hair being tossed by the wind he knew that she was his.

"Ryan is such a romantic," Missy says beaming again.

"Oh it's not that romantic.." Amy starts embarrassed by the attention and not wanting to share either of her rather intimate proposals.

"I beg your pardon I think they are both very romantic!" Sheldon says a bit miffed.

"Sheldon…" Amy tries to warn.

"The first time we had just been discussing the problem she was having with her mother. I kept trying to figure out a way I could help her. Then we went into the lake to.. Ouch!" Sheldon yells as Amy pinches him hard on the thigh. He looks at her angry then she gestures her head at a very intrigued looking Meemaw and Mary. Sheldon decides his story is probably best not to share in front of his mother in an Applebee's. "On second thought that one is not very romantic at all. The second time I won her a green lantern ring from putt-putt but I had to take it back when I learned Georgee had stolen the money I won it with from the pool snack bar," He finishes looking to his mother who still looks interested in the first story.

"I think ya'll are crazy," George says. "You should not get married," He says frustrated.

"George," Mary chides gently.

"What? You want your son that before this chick we were worried might actually be a robot. To get married to the first piece of ass he has ever had? Have you gone crazy too?" George demands.

"That is very rude George!" Missy says to him.

"You don't agree? You all think this is a good idea? Am I being Twilight zoned or some shit?" George gripes looking around the table.

"Language!" Mary and Meemaw chide.

"I think the boy who professed his love for his brother's girlfriend might not have his best interests at heart," Mary says. "Now shut up and let us have a nice family dinner. Amy knows how crazy we all are. Ryan is new to the Cooper clan," Mary says warmly smiling at Missy's new boyfriend who smiles back. For this girl he could handle a crazy family.

"Fine," George grumbles.

"That's a good boy! Now we have a lot of planning to do and not a whole lot of time to do it in," Mary says getting down to business.

 **The bad news this is the second to the last chapter.**

 **The good news, Work on the sequel is officially underway!**

 **Thank you so much for all the reviews! I love them all so much.**


	31. Marry Me

**A big thank you too my beta cutelittlelumpofwool82**

Amy sits nervously at Missy's vanity as she gets made up for her big day. For the occasion she is wearing her prom dress. At first everyone had protested that she needed a new dress. Amy insisted all week that this dress would be just fine. Missy wants her hair and makeup to be different and she has spent the last hour styling her hair. Hating it then redoing the entire thing over again. Amy is about to tell her forget it. That she would rather shave her head then be poked by another bobby pin. Even with a shaved head she could still wear her tiara. Which she insisted on wearing even though Missy had tried talking her out of it.

"Are we sure about the tiara?" Missy asks as she hovers it above Amy's head with a scrunched up look on her face.

"I let you have free reign over my entire look. The only thing I requested was the tiara. I am not walking down the aisle without it," Amy says stubbornly.

"It's just that tiara is more Prom than wedding but if you insist," Missy sighs but before Amy can retort there is a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Missy calls sweetly.

"It's your Mama and your Meemaw and we come bearing gifts," Mary replies.

"You may enter," Missy says opening the door. "Wouldn't want Shelly coming in and peeking. He has been trying all morning long," She and Amy laugh thinking of when Missy caught him trying to look through the window early this morning.

"Oh you can't blame the boy for trying to sneak a peek!" Meemaw says happily.

"Besides she ain't in her wedding dress yet," Mary says smiling broadly.

"Yes, I am," Amy protests.

"No you ain't either. Dug this out of storage and thought you might want to try it on for size," Meemaw says holding out a garment bag. Amy stands up and takes it from her unzipping it curiously. "Now mind you it ain't the fanciest dress in the world. My mother made it for me and got some of her church friends to help her out with the lace," Meemaw says nervously as Amy pulls out an ivory satin dress with delicate lace detailing on the cuffs hem and collar. The length would hit her just at the knee.

"The cut is kind of classic. Not what you see in the bride magazines nowadays but I think it is a pretty dress," Mary says worried that Amy still hasn't said anything.

"Now you don't have to wear it if you don't want too. I won't be offended if you still want to wear…" Meemaw starts.

"It's perfect," Amy says softly stroking the material of the dress. "I love it and I would be honored to wear it," Amy says tears threatening to form in her eyes.

"What have I told you no crying after your eye makeup is done!" Missy scolds and Amy laughs.

"Now that is your something borrowed. I want that back you hear!" Meemaw says shaking her finger at her.

"Of course Constance," Amy says hugging her.

"Don't you be all formal with me. I am your Meemaw now too," She scolds.

"I thought that she would be your something old," Missy quips winking at Amy.

"Now you hush or I'll give you something old," Meemaw says swatting Missy's behind.

"And I do have something old as a matter of fact," Mary says stepping forward. "Now I know you were upset when Sheldon had to return your ring. Even though they told him not to worry about it. This here is Great Great Nana's wedding ring. It has been through a long hard journey. At one point the Apaches stole it from her."

"How did they do that?" Amy asks examining the still pristine ring.

"They cut off her finger," Mary says looking at it with her.

"Poor nine fingered Nana," Missy sighs.

"I can't accept this, is just too much," Amy says trying to hand it back to Mary.

"You keep saying that, but it's not true sugar. You are family now," Mary tells her.

"Don't you want to save it for Missy. When she gets married?" Amy asks looking at the three women.

"Hell no! I don't want no ring cut off my dead Nana's finger. When I get married he better buy me a good ring," Mary gives her a hard look. "Not that I wouldn't cherish an heirloom such as this… It just ain't my style," Missy quickly backtracks.

"Come on sugar try it on," Meemaw encourages as Amy slips it on her finger. "Perfect fit!" She says clapping.

"Now we got one more surprise for you," Mary says holding out a pink shopping bag. Amy pulls out a silky light blue slip and blushes. "The dress needs a slip under it. Figured this could be your something blue and your something new."

"Thank you so much. You guys have been so wonderful to me. Already you are the family I have always wanted," Amy says tearing up again.

"Now honey don't get me crying," Mary says hugging her.

"If ya'll cry I will cry! Stop it! I just got my eyeliner right," Missy says hugging the both of them.

"Ain't no one can resist a group hug come here ya'll," Meemaw says hugging the three of them. "Now come on let's try this dress on it's almost showtime!"

Amy tries on the dress in front of her new family. The Cooper women didn't have a shy bone in their bodies. It never occurred to them Amy might not want to strip down in front of everyone. They all fuss over her adjusting the dress and fixing her hair again after she mussed it getting the dress on. When she is deemed ready they step back to admire their handiwork.

"Ain't she purty as a picture!" Meemaw gushes. "I knew she had the figure to fill out the dress."

"She's something special that's for sure," Mary agrees.

"You look hot toots!" Missy says winking. "Toots is something they said in the forties right? Cuz she looks like she stepped out of a black and white movie," Missy says smacking her gum.

"Is that good or bad?" Amy asks nervously looking down at her dress.

"It's good honey! Don't listen to Missy none. Speaking of don't listen to Missy… Beat it baby girl," Mary says pointing Missy to the door.

"What? Why! Amy knows I was just teasing!" Missy says almost stamping her foot.

"Us women got some things to discuss," Meemaw tells her.

"I am a woman too! If it's sex stuff believe me I already know all about that," Missy rolls her eyes.

"Believe us we know! "Mary tells her. "Now you don't worry what we are going to talk about."

"Fine!" Missy huffs.

"Now go check on your brothers and see what they're up too," Mary tells her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Whatever," Missy says slamming the door behind her and stomping down the hall to Sheldon's room. Missy pauses at the door as she hears George's voice talking.

"I'm telling you. You are making the biggest mistake in your life," George says.

"I don't believe so," Sheldon says distractedly.

"Look at you you are getting married today and you are in a suit playing Mario! You ain't ready for marriage," George says shaking his head at his baby brother.

"I am sure there are plenty of married men who enjoy video games. The ones who create them for instance," Sheldon informs him.

"Dudes who play video games can get chicks?" George muses.

"Yes. In fact the boo's laugh on the game were modeled after the makers wife's laugh," Sheldon says matter of factly.

"Whatever… What about this? Now you can only be with one woman the rest of your life," George says switching tactics.

"That is the point of getting married isn't it? I have no desire to be with other women. I like this woman and I am securing her place in my life for the foreseeable future," Sheldon says without skipping a beat. That a boy Sheldon Missy thinks. Without being able to see them she can tell Sheldon is focused on his game. Only half listening to what George is telling him.

"Think of it this way. You like Star Wars right?" George asks. Where the hell is he going with this? Missy wonders. All George knew about Star Wars were light sabers and Darth Vader.

"Yes," Sheldon agrees.

"What if I told you that Star Wars was the only movie you could watch every day for the rest of your life," George says. Oh god Missy thinks here we go.

"Which one?" Sheldon asks seriously.

"Does it matter?" George asks annoyed.

"Of course it matters! If it is say The Empire strikes back I might take that deal. However if I am to be subjected to The Phantom Menace everyday well that would be horrible!" Sheldon says.

"The Phantom Menace. You are marrying Jar Jar Binks," George says excited like he may have finally gotten through to his brother. Missy prepares herself for World War Three. Having gone with Sheldon to see that movie she knew what an insult Sheldon had been dealt. Sheldon had ranted for days about that goofy alien.

"You take that back! I will not have you insulting Amy that way!" Sheldon snaps. Missy hears him pause his game and knows it is about to get serious.

"Alright break it up," Missy says busting in before the brothers can fight again. "George will you come with me please," Missy asks sweetly.

"No way turd," George tells Missy. Missy stomps over and grabs his ear and twists it hard. "Owww!" He yells swatting at her arm.

"Come with me brother," She says through gritted teeth. Tugging him up by the ear.

"Let me go," George hollers as he follows Missy out into the hallway. Missy drags him down the hall out of earshot and thumps him hard on the chest.

"What do you think you are doing!" Missy hisses at him.

"Trying to stop my baby brother from making a huge mistake!" George harshly whispers.

"Are you? Or are you just looking out for your own damn self?" Missy accuses.

"What the hell do you mean?" He scoffs.

"Oh so you weren't just telling me that you thought you might be falling for Amy?" Missy asks him raising her eyebrows.

"That was a long time ago," George says carelessly.

"Oh really? That was a week ago George. Now you listen to me you just get rid of any thoughts of ruining this for a stupid bet, Shelly, well he ain't ever had many people who liked him. Ain't ever had any friends. Hell even us, his own family have been cruel to him at times! Shelly was lucky enough to find a girl who loves him. Loves his crazy ways, his stupid schedules, his insane love of cleanliness. A girl who loves him because of all the weird shit he does. Don't you fuck this up for him! Or George I swear I will chop your balls off!" Missy says poking his chest one last time.

"Damn Missy you're a badass," George laughs holding up his hands. "You win I will leave him alone," George huffs stalking off down the hall.

Missy goes back to Sheldon who has unpaused his game. He is playing Mario and Missy stands by him watching him play the game for a moment. He keeps dying while trying to get Mario to retrieve something under water. Which is odd because Sheldon never died while playing this game. The day he got it he had played it for almost three days straight until he beat it. Sheldon was so good at video games it was no fun to play with him. Missy thinks it is nerves coming up rather than him forgetting how to play the game.

"How you feelin'?" Missy asks him sitting next to him on the couch. He is already wearing his wedding suit, Sheldon was not one to procrastinate. She can tell he is stressed by his pale pinched face. Missy wishes he would talk to her. Let some of these jitters out.

"Like if Mario drowns one more time while I try to retrieve this gold star I am going to throw this controller across the room," He replies as Mario holds his throat and drowns. Sheldon shakes the red controller like he is contemplating tossing it. Instead he sets it beside him and puts his head in his hands.

"I meant about your wedding today but whatever," Missy says shrugging her shoulders. When it came to sharing how he was feeling Sheldon had never been very open. "Haven't you beat this game before?" Missy asks changing the subject. Trying to get at the fact it may not be his lack of skills making Mario die.

"Yes several times but it does not take away from my enjoyment of it. Are you here to compare my sexual exploits with Amy to that of a cartoon plumber?" Sheldon says hotly. "Yes, I have beaten Amy's game but I still enjoy playing it!" Sheldon says his voice strained. Missy is worried that George may have been able to get in Sheldon's head afterall.

"Umm first of all eww! No! I ain't ever going to be able to look at Mario the same way ever again. Thank you," Missy says shuddering. "Secondly I was in here to tell you I got rid of George for you."

"A thank you is in order then," Sheldon says as he picks his controller back up and restarts the game.

"You're welcome. You know I don't think you are making a mistake at all. You and Amy were meant for each other. That much I know for sure. You might be young, but you are the smartest person like in the world right?" Missy smirks knowing a stroke to the ego always perks him up.

"Maybe not the world… but close," Sheldon says cockily.

"My point is that you ain't never done nothin' you didn't want to do. You ain't ever done nothin' you ain't thought about obsessively for days. If you think this is the right decision then I trust you know what you are doing," Sheldon pauses the game and looks at her gratefully.

"I don't know when you turned nice. But thank you," He says genuinely.

"I've always been nice!" Missy says smacking his shoulder.

"Not to me," He says rolling his eyes.

"No, but you ain't always been the nicest to me either," Missy reminds.

"I suppose that's true," Sheldon muses. "However I am glad we have been able to form this allegiance.

"Me too Shelly," Missy says hugging him and he stiffens but pats her shoulder. "You know you owe me a dance tonight right?"

"Missy… I don't want…" Sheldon begins.

"Uh Uh Uh… It is your wedding day and we are going to dance! You ain't danced with me since the Teens for Jesus hoe down in the eighth grade," She says seriously.

"There is a reason for that. However you got rid of George for me so I guess we can dance," Sheldon sighs.

"Yay!" Missy squeals getting up. "Oh and Shelly you are going to flip when you see Amy. She is so pretty I want to cry!"

"Sheldon Cooper does not cry," He says unpausing the game again.

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Amy wonders what the women could possibly have to talk to her about. They are aware that she won't be a virgin bride. Amy knows what to expect on her wedding night. Maybe they just want to pass down some other pearls of wisdom.

"Amy sit down, we got a few things we need to discuss," Mary says and Amy obeys her stomach nervously fluttering. "I know right now, this marriage thing seems like a bit of a lark."

"I don't think it's a lark. I am aware if the seriousness of the commitment I am making," Amy assures them.

"Good, then I am here to tell you life with Sheldon won't always be sunshine and roses. You have seen my boy on his best behavior. You bring out in something in him that we all, thought was lost. Wondered if he ever had it at all actually," Mary says.

"What is that exactly?" Amy asks curiously.

"A human side. A side that smiled and let himself have a little you came along he was happy just to stay in his room, do his schoolwork and that's about it. Studying and research would consume him for days, weeks. Sheldon had no social life. Didn't want one, didn't need one. Then you came along and suddenly there was more to life than what was between the covers of a book," Mary replies her voice cracking a bit.

"I didn't really have a social life before Sheldon either. I just did my schoolwork, went to school and that was it," Amy says softly.

"You are going off to college with him. You ain't going to be living with him. We are just worried he may fall back into some of his old habits. We want you to realize what you are getting yourself into. Sheldon is special, he is going to take a lot of looking after," Mary says.

"I think you underestimate him. Sheldon can take care of himself pretty well. However I know he has things about him that are difficult. I am prepared to help him for the rest of my life. I love him very much and I will the rest of my life," Amy replies confidently.

"That's all we wanted to hear," Meemaw confirms patting her shoulder.

"Now there is one more thing we have to discuss. Is your mama coming to this thing?" Mary asks her worriedly. The last things she wants is the kid's big day to be ruined by Peggy.

"I invited her. I doubt she will come. I am not going to have any family here today," Amy says sadly. "I was kind of hoping that she would give me away," She says her bottom lip quivering.

"Well, I was thinking that it may be for the best that your mama not come. This is already a unique situation as it is. We don't need extra drama layered in," Mary says carefully.

"We can find someone to give you away don't you fret. You have plenty of family here today. We Are all your family," Meemaw says smiling and squeezing Amy's hand.

"I can give her away," George grins walking in the room.

"Were you listening at the door?" Amy accuses.

"No! I was just passing by and happened to hear the tail end of the conversation," George says quickly.

"More likely you had your ear pressed to the door," Amy snorts.

"Do you want someone to walk you down the aisle or not?" George asks crossing his arms.

"Not if it's you," Amy says defiantly glaring at George.

"I think it's an excellent idea," Meemaw says happily.

"I don't!" Amy says annoyed. "Missy couldn't be a bridesmaid because he refused to be a groomsman," Amy complains.

"I just didn't want to stand up there all quiet with that dork. Now giving away the bride is a job I was meant for," George says winking at Amy.

"You can give me away but you better not have any tricks up your sleeve," Amy warns.

"I am wounded! What would I do to you?" George says innocently covering his heart and Amy just glares at him.

"Alright it's settled then!" Meemaw says clapping George on the back.

"Just in time too. It's just about show time kids," Mary says checking her watch. "You ready girlie?" She grins looking up at Amy.

"Yes, I've never been more ready," Amy says happily.

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The small ceremony is set up outside in Meemaw's back yard. Just the pastor and a few family members sitting on chairs scavenged from around the house. The day is hot and sticky and the few people gathered are ready to get the show in the road. Sheldon stands nervously under a flower arch keeping his head down. To him it looks very similar to the one they stood under at prom. He wonders what it is about special occasions and flower arches. It may be the same flower arch from prom. All week long his mother had called in favors. It seemed when your job was to jot down people's prayers you become quite popular. Then he wonders if this is the last time he will ever have to stand under a flower arch. Music starts up and his head snaps up staring straight ahead to the back door of the house.

Sheldon stands alone. Being that it was a small ceremony there are no best man or bridesmaids. Much to Missy's chagrin. She had been hoping to be a bridesmaid. Instead she sits in the front row smiling at him too broadly for his tastes. Making a motion with her fingers to her cheeks indicating he should smile as well. Sheldon hates it when people tell him to smile. His face just naturally settled itself in a serious expression. It didn't mean he wasn't happy. He didn't need a smile to prove he was happy.

"You ready son?" Pastor Hamm asks him. Sheldon just shakes his head in response to nervous to speak.

George leads Amy down the aisle. Sheldon is a little shocked to see Amy with her arm linked with his brothers. However there really weren't any other options and it is him standing here not his brother. Amy is so beautiful all he can focus on is her anyways. He can feel his cheeks split into a wide grin as he watches her walk down to him. He thought she told him that she was going to be wearing her prom dress. The dress she is wearing is new. Ivory satin and lace that hugs her curves and shows off the tops of her calves. Suddenly he recognizes it from photos of Meemaw's wedding to Pop-Pop. She is wearing Meemaw's wedding dress and it looks like it was made for her. It makes him feel like Pop-Pop is here with him and he starts to get misty thinking about it. Smiling and crying what this woman did to him he thinks.

George and Amy pauses just before the alter. Missy is giving George the death stare for finding his way into the wedding. When Amy signals to Missy to go up front and join them.

"Come on get up there." Amy mouths to Missy who squeals with delight and takes Amy's bouquet and stands next to her at the altar. The guests all laugh at Missy as she smiles and waves the bouquet at them. When they are all assembled the Pastor asks.

"Who is going to give this bride away?" The Pastor asks.

"Her new family does," George says walking up to Sheldon and linking Amy's arm with his. Then walking away to sit in Missy's now vacated seat.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Sheldon Lee Cooper to Amy Farrah Fowler. A couple who may be young, I have no doubt of their love for each other. Prior to Sheldon meeting Amy I hadn't seen him grace the halls of my church in years. After he met the lovely Amy suddenly he was a regular face along with hers every Sunday. A couple with a healthy love of god is already on sure footing," Sheldon gives Amy one of his half smiles and Amy knows exactly what he is thinking with just a look. Amy blushed thinking of all the Sunday spent finding an abandoned Sunday school room to do school work or make out in.

"Now before we start does anyone here have any objections to this union. Speak now or forever hold your peace," Amy and Sheldon look out into the crowd and much to her surprise she sees her mother walk into the backyard and have a seat in the back row of chairs. Amy braces herself for her mother to make a huge scene. Yet her mother stays quiet and stares right at her and gives her a small wave. "No?" Very well let us begin.

The actual ceremony is a blur to Amy. She repeats her lines mechanically. Only thinking about how handsome Sheldon looks in his suit. How happy she is to be his wife. Then in the back of her mind worried that her mother will somehow find a way to ruin it all.

"You may now kiss the bride," She hears the Pastor say and Sheldon leans in and gives her a chaste kiss. Yet somehow that small kiss manages to move her world more than any kiss ever has, Amy feels everything his strong hands on her elbows his soft lips as they touch hers and gently suck in her bottom lip. Amy kisses him back gently her hands resting on his chest. Then it is over and the small crowd erupts into cheers and they make their way back down the aisle as man and wife.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The reception is extremely small yet Mary and Meemaw still insisted on having reception line. To receive guests and take pictures. Amy has been smiling so much it feels like her face may crack. Everyone insists on hugging her and giving her a kiss. They say it's a tradition. It's a tradition that she's not very fond of. Never in her life has she had so many pictures taken of her. She can tell Sheldon is starting to get cranky by the way he is starting to fidget and grumble. George is one of the last ones to come through the line.

"I need to get my hug in little sis," He says holding out his arms.

"No way!" Sheldon says folding his arms. "It's bad enough you finagled your way into walking her down the aisle," Sheldon says hotly.

"Come on, you hugged everyone else. You wouldn't want to make a scene. Now would you?" George tsks. Amy and Sheldon just stare at him with matching looks of annoyance. "I can wait here all day," He sighs.

"Fine," Amy agrees begrudgingly. Stepping forward wrapping her arms around him loosely and patting his back.

"You kissed everyone else too. Wouldn't be fair if I didn't get one," George whispers in her ear and Amy rolls her eyes.

"If I do it will you go away?" She answers back.

"Of course," George says innocently. Amy leans in to kiss his cheek and he turns his head quickly so that she kisses his mouth instead. Amy jumps back in surprise.

"Whoa!" Amy says shocked and angry.

"What do you think you are you doing?" Sheldon says in a low hiss and pushing George away from Amy.

"You saw it Missy! Amy kissed me! I win!" He says triumphantly.

"That soo… Doesn't count!" Missy says. "You can't count a receiving line kiss!"

"That wasn't written in the rules and you know it. We are switching rooms sis!" George laughs wrapping an arm around Missy and kissing her cheek.

"Uggh I hate you!" Missy says pushing him away.

"Beat me up all you want. When we get home I am taking measurements for my new room!" George says sticking his tongue out and making a rock sign at her.

"I ain't sleeping in no attic asshole!" Missy yells following him as he runs away. Amy watches them grinning ear to ear. This was the kind of sibling stuff she had always wanted and missed out on. She wasn't even mad anymore about George and his stolen kiss. With all their commotion Amy hadn't noticed her mother walk up to her.

"Amy, sweetheart," She hears her say.

"Mother," Amy gulps nervously. "I wasn't expecting you to come but I am happy that you did."

"It's not everyday your only daughter gets married. At seventeen. To her first and only boyfriend…" Sheldon looks at her dangerously his blue eyes like daggers his mouth set in anger. Amy hates how hot she thinks he looks when he gets that angry.

"Mother if you've come to make me feel bad then you…" Amy starts.

"No, I am sorry Amy, I really did come to congratulate you. I love you. I know that may be hard to believe with me behavior lately. I know it will be a long hard road to forgiveness. What I did was horrible. However I want to offer you a peace offering of sorts," Peggy says.

"We don't need any peace that you are offering," Sheldon begins his jaw clenched but Amy grabs his arm to tell him it's okay.

"What are you talking about mother?" Amy asks. Noticing that Mary and Meemaw have moved away to give them some privacy. They are currently working on organizing the dinner that will begin shortly.

"Well you are a married woman now and I owe you a wedding gift. Where are you two planning on staying tonight. You have a big honeymoon planned?" Her mother asks sarcastically.

"The honeymoon is on hold for a few… Years… Why do you ask?" Amy says starting to get defensive.

"I am asking because while I can't give you an extravagant honeymoon. I can pay for a nice hotel room downtown for a few days," She replies.

"Why are you doing this?" Amy asks confused. She had been brutally punished for spending the night with Sheldon. Suddenly her mother was having a change of heart.

"You are a married woman now Amy. An adult in the eyes of the law. There is nothing I can do to stop you from making your own decisions anymore. I am just trying to right some wrongs," Peggy says.

"With all due respect Mrs. Fowler what you have put Amy through can't be righted with a few nights in a Holiday Inn," Sheldon tells her his eyes hard.

"For once you and I agree on something Sheldon. I can never make up for what happened. For what I put your wife through. Finding her like that must have been horrible for you. So I guess I owe you an apology as well," She says weakly.

"Yes you do," Sheldon agrees.

"As I have said I am sorry. Now you can spend the night here or have a few nights to yourself at the Hilton," She tells Amy.

"We accept thank you mother," Amy says eying Sheldon.

"I know you are moving to California for school soon. I am headed back there myself. Don't be strangers okay. Come visit me when you can and we can try to slowly fix what is broken," Peggy says smiling weakly.

"Are you going to join us for dinner mother?" Amy asks her.

"No, I'm afraid I must be going now. I am selling the house and I needed to finish packing up. If there is anything you want from the house I suggest you retrieve it before Friday," Peggy says knowing she wasn't too welcomed by Sheldon right now.

"Alright, well goodbye mother," Amy says awkwardly.

"Good Riddance," Sheldon mutters under his breath and Amy elbows him.

"You have a reservation whenever you're ready. Under the name of Mr and Mrs. Cooper." Peggy says giving Amy a hug and then walking away. Once Peggy is out the door Mary walks back up to them.

"Ding-dong is the witch dead?" Mary asks sneering in the direction of Peggy's retreating back.

"Mrs. Fowler has left the room," Sheldon confirms with a sneer that matches his mother's.

"What did the old bat want anyway?" Mary asks. Mary hates Peggy for what she did to Amy. She also hates her because she thinks that if not for her she would not have a seventeen year old son who was already married. Not that she didn't love Amy. She just thought it was all a bit too much too soon. Yet unlike Peggy she was was going to support her son and her new daughter no matter what.

"She reserved us a room for our honeymoon. She wants us to visit her once we are in California." Amy says a bit stunned by everything.

"Ain't that sweet," Mary says sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Now are ya'll ready for dinner?"

"Yes of course," Sheldon agrees as they follow her into Meemaw's seldom used dining room where what now feels like an awful lot of people are arranged. More than it felt like in the spacious backyard during the ceremony.

"Now Amy you met everyone during the receiving line but I don't know if you remember everyone?" Mary asks.

"It is all a bit of a blur," Amy admits apologetically.

"Well let's make some more introductions," Mary says leading the two of them to the head of the table."This is Uncle Edward, but we call him Stumpy and his daughter Becky," A man with no arm raises his stump up and a pretty girl with bleach blonde hair with black roots waves.

"I got married even earlier than ya'll! No judgements here," She says patting her very pregnant belly. Amy tries not to grimace. Not exactly breaking any stereotypes there.

"To be clear Amy is not pregnant. Nor will she be anytime in the future," Sheldon assures his family gathered around the table. Now Amy is grimacing for a different reason. Last thing she needs is her new family thinking she is a judgemental snob.

'Not that we judge people who are.. We just aren't," Amy says trying to make amends albeit poorly.

"Because of safe sex practices. Not because of failed attempts," Sheldon clarifies and Amy blushes bright red wishing she could be swallowed up by the ground.

"Alright maybe that's enough introductions," Mary says quieting them. "Now ya'll just sit down here," They sit down beside each other at the head of the long cherrywood table.

"I thought we could start by giving a few toasts to the happy couple. With sparkling cider not champagne. This is a dry house and they are still minors," Mary clarifies holding up,a flute of cider. "Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go!" Missy says excited standing up. "Sheldon and Amy you are my brother and my sister now. Two of my best friends in the world. Ya'll have done so much in such a short time. You were Prom King and Queen, valedictorian and salutatorian. The unofficial cutest couple in school. Only because Leslie Anders worked on yearbook and made herself and Peter Broome cutest couple. I know ya'll have so much more left to accomplish together and I can't wait to see you do it," Missy says raising her glass.

"Thank you Missy!" Amy says standing up to hug her on the verge of tears.

"My turn next," George says standing up to many groans. "Stop it ya'll! I am going to be nice," George assures them before continuing. "Sheldon you and I ain't ever gotten along. Since your pink wrinkled screaming butt entered this house I kind of hated you," He chuckles.

"George that's enough!" Meemaw warns.

"Wait it gets better… Because I hated you I did really mean things to you. I stole all your toys. I gave you countless noogies. I sat on your head and made you eat my farts. I put you in a headlock and made you declare me the greatest ninja in East Texas," George recalls.

"Yes George you have effectively highlighted the greatest hits of your cruelty to me," Sheldon says wearily.

"I was cruel to you. I was jealous of you. You know what Sheldon? You win though. I met a girl who stole my heart for the first time. Even though everything in me told me it was wrong and you got her. No matter what I tried you were two steps ahead of me. You managed to do the craziest thing this family has ever seen. And trust me they have seen crazy. So for that Sheldon I have to declare you the greatest ninja in East Texas," George says raising his glass and winking at Missy.

"But you won the bet!" Missy says.

"No I didn't. It was game over when she married him. I just couldn't resist an opportunity when I saw it!" George tells her. "For all you curious folks. I made a bet with Missy that I could get Amy to kiss me by the end of summer. You see I was trying to steal another one of Sheldon's toys. I can see now this is one toy I ain't ever going to get."

"I object to being called a toy but I appreciate the sentiment," Amy tells George as he sits back down.

"With that I think we are done with speeches," Mary says sounding exhausted. "Now let's pray then eat."

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Soon everyone migrates outside where they have set up twinkle lights and a makeshift dance floor. Sheldon had lobbied that dancing need not be done at all. Dancing however was another traditional his mother was not willing to part with during this untraditional wedding. Sheldon and Amy start up the festivities with their first dance as man and wife to Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight." Amy is exhausted from the day and leans into his shoulder and lets him lead.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look yet?" He whispers in her ear.

"No, we've been too busy," She tells him.

"The dress was unexpected but it suits you well," He tells her.

"Meemaw surprised me with it this morning. It's my something borrowed," She tells him as she looks up at him.

"I thought it would be your something old," He muses brushing a piece of hair off her face and admiring the tiara nestled in her hair.

"This is my something old," Amy tells him resting her hand on his chest showing him the ring.

"Is this Great Great Nana's ring?" He asks softly.

"They gave it to me to replace the one you had to take back," She says smiling up at him and he leans down and kisses her softly. Then he moves his lips to her ear. "That ring has been in my family for a hundred years. They must really like you."

"Was there ever any doubt?" She teases him.

"No, you have a way of enchanting everyone you meet," He says as he gazes down at her with a look of pure adoration.

"Until I met you I never thought that was true," Amy says and she stands on her tiptoes to kiss him again. Only stopping when she feels a tap on her back.

"Not trying to break up this love fest here but it's my turn. I'm cutting in," Mary says and Amy giggles.

"Of course," She says moving so Mary can have a dance with her son.

"I'll dance with you until it's my turn," Missy says grabbing Amy and spinning her around.

"Well you'll be dancing together for a while because after Mary I get to go. I paid for them cotillion lessons I am going to see them put to use," Meemaw tells them her hands on her hips.

Amy moves to the sidelines and watches as Sheldon dances with each of the women in his family in turn. Even though he acts annoyed and like he is hating it. Amy knows secretly he is enjoying the attention. That he loves these people as much as he loves her. She even danced once with George when he asked her. Amy feels blessed to be included in this crazy family circle. After feeling her whole life like she was out of place. That she never had enough love. She finally had everything she wanted. She knew life with Sheldon wouldn't always be perfect. Life wasn't perfect, there were sure to be ups and downs. But she couldn't wait to start this new chapter of her life with him.

-the end-

I **know what you are thinkng... What about the wedding night? Well I am not opposed to writing a smutty wedding night bonus chapter. Let me know what younwant in the reviews.**


	32. Sex you up: Bonus Chapter

**Silly song for a silly smutty bonus chapter. Hope you enjoy.**

They check into their hotel room and Amy giggles when Sheldon gives the name of "Mr and Mrs. Cooper to the front desk. Amy keeps giggling as they make their way to the Elevator.

"What's so funny?" He asks her curiously as they get on the elevator.

"Not funny I guess. I just like the way Mr. and Mrs. Cooper sounds." Then she stops laughing and turns serious." We won't be that for very long will we?"

"When we go to Caltech it would be best if you retained your maiden name." Sheldon agrees. Then Amy looks really sad. Like she might start crying. "Hey." He says stepping hp to her and placing his hand on her cheek. "It will just be for a little while. Sometime in the future when things are more settled you can change your name." Amy looks up at him and gives him a weak smile.

"I guess that's true." Amy agrees and he bends down to kiss her.

"Besides, you'll always be to me." He tells her and she kisses him until the elevator comes to a stop at their floor. Amy doesn't want to back away from him and contemplates hitting the door close button. "Come on let's go." He says backing away and grabbing their small shared luggage bag.

They find their room and open the door. It is a nice room with a large bed right in the middle. Amy had half expected it to be twin beds with her mother reserving the room. Suddenly she feels very shy. They have done it before, but tonight it is expected. Tonight everyone is expecting them to have sex and that knowledge is a bit disturbing to her. Even ner mother knows what was going to happen tonight and from the looks of the generous room she reserved she approved. What were they supposed to do now? Where they just supposed to start right away?

"What should we do now?" Sheldon asks mirroring her thoughts, sounded just as overwhelmed as she was.

"We can start by getting changed. You are still in your suit and I'm still in my dress. This dress is just a loaner. Meemaw would kill me if anything happened to it."

"Sounds like a good place to start." He agrees taking off his jacket. Amy starts taking off her dress but realizes she can't find the start of the zipper. She struggles for a moment before giving up and calling to Sheldon who is down to his undershirt.

"Sheldon can you help me?" She asks walking over to him and turning around. With nimble fingers he finds the top of the hidden zipper and pulls it down. Amy carefully pulls the sleeve down and steps out of the dress.

"What is this?" He asks eying Amy in the slinky satin slip. Amy blushes, this was not your grandmother's slip. It was more risque than anything her mother ever wore under her dresses. With a plunging lace neckline and a high slit that showed off quite a bit of thigh.

"My something blue. Another gift from your family. I know it's kind of…"

"Sexy." Sheldon supplied helpfully. Placing his hands on her hips and leaning in for a kiss. Amy presses her body against his. The feeling of her smooth satin gliding against the soft cotton of his shirt gives her goosebumps. Amy rubs against him making him pull her in closer. His hands travel everywhere on her body. When he goes to run a hand through her hair his hand gets stuck.

"Ow ow ow." Amy complains and he moves his hand.

"Sorry, Your hair is not normally so sticky." He says by way of apology.

"Well normally Missy has not emptied a can of hairspray into it." Amy says a bit defensively. A little angry at the ruined moment.

"Let's take a shower." He says walking away heading to the bathroom.

Amy follows him her nerves jangling again for no reason. Again this they have done before Amy thinks a little disappointed. Wishing they had saved something for the wedding night. She watches as Sheldon starts the shower up and finishes undressing. He walks over to her and lifts the end of her slip up.

"Can't take a shower wearing this." He says pulling it off and over her head.

They step into the shower together. Amy directly under the shower head. Letting the warm water wash out Missy's hair creation. Sheldon grabs a little bottle of shampoo provided by the hotel and pours some into his hands. Then he rubs it into her hair massaging her scalp. It feels so good Amy is practically purring as he continues shampooing her hair standing behind her. When he is done he grabs a bar of soap and starts washing her body. She can feel his warm slick chest pressed into her back as the bar glides over her skin leaving a sudsy trail. He is being surprisingly coy. Brushing past her breasts but not staying long. Pausing between her legs briefly before bending down and finishing her whole leg. The process his leaving her feel achy with longing for him. When he is done she turns him around under the shower head so she can have her fun with him. Amy takes shampoo and makes him lean down so she can wash his hair. Then she takes the soap and begins to wash him too. Pressing her breasts into his back as she glides the bar across his chest. Down his belly, pressing her nails lightly into the trail of hair that leads downwards. Amy takes her time going slowly feeling his body tense against her as she takes him into her hand.

"That's enough of that." He says suddenly shutting off the shower and moving away from her.

Amy feels lost and confused as he hops out of the shower and hands her one of the robes that was hanging in the bathroom. He also hands her a towel and she dries her hair with it. Stepping out shower feeling achy, tired and disappointed. Amy follows him out to bedroom with a million questions in her head. She starts to go for the bag where she packed some pajamas but he stops her. Grabbing her tightly and kissing her deeply. Tilting her head back and moaning into her mouth as his tongue flicks her lips apart. Humming deep in his throat as he walks her to the bed and gently pushes her onto it. Never breaking the kiss as they climb up the bed and he opens her robe pushing it off her shoulders. Then moving down her body planting soft kisses in her collarbones, the tips of her breasts and then down her belly. Stopping at the apex of her thighs. This ...Amy thinks with excitement, is a first.

"You know things have distinct flavors and smells to me?" He asks idly as he pushes her legs opens and starts to gently rub her in small circles. It feels so good Amy can barely gather her wits to respond.

"Yes." She answers.

"Amy you have the most intoxicating scent to me. It makes me lose my senses when I am with you. Your flavor? It is exquisite like nothing I have ever tasted before. I can't wait to taste all of you." He says before moving his mouth where his fingers had been.

His words alone had been enough to take her breath away. The feeling of his mouth on her was mind numbing. Amy can hear herself making noises that she can't stop. A soft mewling that barely expresses the pleasure she is feeling as his mouth surrounds her and his tongue swirls around the bundle of nerves. She can feel herself quickening and when she reaches her orgasm it crashes around her harder than it ever has before. She is calling out his name and screaming as he moves up her body again.

"Oh my. That was something else." She sighs kissing his mouth.

"I have wanted to do that for a while." He tells her as she pushes the robe he is wearing off him. "You do taste very good."

"You can do that anytime." Amy tells him as she runs her hands down his back. "Do you want me to return the favor ?" She asks and he shakes his head no.

"Right now I just want you." He tells her as he glides between her legs.

He moves inside her in a swift movement filling her completely. They move together slowly at first. His mouth connects with her neck. Amy tosses her head back to give him better access. Her still wet hair tangling in tbe pillows. He props himself up on his elbows and stares down at her. Loving the way she looks when she is in the throes of passion. Loving that he is the one doing this to her and that he will be the only one to ever do it. Any his his and he has claimed her fully and completely.

"You can go harder, I don't mind." Amy whispers in his ear as she sits up and wraps her arms around his neck. Sheldon thrusts in her deeper making her cry out and wrap her arms around his neck harder clinging to him.

"Like that?" he asks doing it again this time she matches his thrust. The intensity making them both call out.

"Yes!" She calls out grinding her hips against him. They continue on testing out each others limits. The intensity of their lovemaking surprising both of them. It feels new and exciting as their bodies work together. They come together and collapsed on the bed exhausted.

"That was…" Sheldon starts.

"I know…" Amy agrees. "Not having to worry about someone hearing was...freeing…"

"So was knowing we were allowed to do it" He agrees grabbing her hand. Amy curls on his bare chest listening to his heart thumping in his chest.

"What will it be like in college?" Amy asks looking up into his face. "We will have roommates then."

"It might not be that intense, but we can make it work. Maybe I could devise a schedule for us to be together." He muses.

"Make your room mate sign a nondisclosure agreement." Amy jokes resting her head back in his chest.

"You jest, but I think you are onto something." Sheldon says mulling over what she just said.

"All I know is that we are doing that again. " Amy tells him.

"Keep talking about contracts and you won't have long to wait." He teases her.

"You could have your roommate sign an agreement that outlines everything you expect from him. Give him guidelines to follow to make you feel more comfortable. I know you are worried about having to share a room." Amy says knowing he would like the idea.

"What you do to me woman." He says reverently as he pulls her on top of him.

 **The first chapter of The Collegiate Chemistry should be up soon. What was going to be the last chapter of this story will be the first chapter of the new one. Thank you for all the support!**


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